Sarah Moin's Academic Achievement Highlights Gaps in Inclusive Education Policy Implementation

Indian Express - Opinion · 4 May 2026 · 2 min read
Prelims · Social issues Mains · GS2 Social justice High relevance

Sarah Moin, a visually and hearing-impaired student, scored 98% in her exams with institutional support, exposing systemic gaps in India's inclusive education despite policies like NEP 2020 and RTE Act.

Key points

Sarah Moin, a 19-year-old student with visual and hearing impairments, scored 98% in her exams at Lucknow's Christ Church College, demonstrating the potential of inclusive education when supported by empathetic institutional frameworks.

Her school provided individualized classes, Braille-based devices, and adapted question papers, showcasing best practices in accommodating diverse learning needs, a rarity in India's education system.

Despite flagship programs like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the Right to Education Act, India's education system struggles with rigid pedagogies, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of trained special educators for disabled students.

[GS2-Governance] The National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes inclusion and flexibility, but implementation gaps persist due to overworked teachers, rote-learning curricula, and insufficient assistive technologies.

[GS1-Society] Surveys like ASER reveal that enrollment gains are undermined by pedagogies insensitive to diverse learning needs, particularly for marginalized groups including disabled, Dalit, and minority students.

Assistive technologies and trained educators remain inaccessible in most schools, rendering the promise of inclusive education hollow for millions of disabled students.

Caste and gender-based discrimination in classrooms further compounds exclusion, affecting participation and learning outcomes for disadvantaged groups.

[GS3-Economy] India's demographic dividend hinges on equipping all youth, not just a privileged subset, with skills for meaningful economic participation, necessitating urgent education reforms.

Way Forward: India must scale up teacher training in inclusive pedagogies, mandate assistive technologies in all schools, and allocate dedicated budgets for disability-inclusive infrastructure under the RTE Act and NEP 2020.

Key terms

National Education Policy 2020

India's comprehensive education framework emphasizing multidisciplinary learning, flexibility, and inclusion. It proposes foundational literacy reforms, vocational integration, and 6% GDP allocation for education, though structural barriers hinder its disability-inclusive vision.

Assistive Technologies

Devices like Braille displays, screen readers, and tactile graphics that enable persons with disabilities to access education. Their scarcity in Indian schools violates Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) mandates, perpetuating exclusion.

Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)

An annual survey by Pratham measuring rural children's basic reading and arithmetic skills. It consistently reveals systemic failures in foundational learning, particularly for marginalized groups, informing education policy debates.

Right to Education Act (2009)

A fundamental right under Article 21A guaranteeing free and compulsory education to children aged 6-14. It mandates 25% reservation for disadvantaged groups in private schools and prohibits physical punishment or expulsion, though implementation gaps persist in inclusive education provisions.