Introduction
With the objective of giving special attention to policy issues related to the welfare and empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and to effectively carry out these activities, a separate Department, “Department of Disability Affairs”, was created within the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 12 May 2012. This Department was renamed as “Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities ( Divyangjan)” on 8 December 2014. This Department acts as the nodal agency for disability-related matters and coordinates between various concerned Central Ministries, State/UT Governments, NGOs, etc.
The Department’s mission is to empower persons with disabilities, for which it works through various Acts, institutions, organizations, and rehabilitation schemes. Its objective is to provide persons with disabilities with equal opportunities, protection of rights, and an enabling environment that enables them to participate as independent and productive members of society. Currently, the Department has nine autonomous bodies (National Institutes), two corporations, three statutory bodies, and 25 Composite Regional Centers (CRCs).
In 1969, the government approved a scheme under which national awards were presented to individuals with special disabilities (both employers and employees). The purpose of these awards is to draw public attention to issues concerning persons with disabilities and to encourage their participation in mainstream society. Necessary amendments have been made to the scope of this scheme from time to time.
These national awards are given every year on 3 December on the occasion of ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ to those distinguished persons with disabilities and individuals/organizations who are working for the empowerment of persons with disabilities.
Until 2017, the award scheme was governed by the “National Awards Rules, 2013,” which recognized seven categories of disabilities under the “Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995.” However, with the enactment of the “Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016” on April 19, 2017, the recognized disability categories were increased from seven to 21. Accordingly, all 21 categories were incorporated in the “National Awards Guidelines,” which were notified in the Gazette of India (August 2, 2018).
In July 2020, the Ministry of Home Affairs suggested that the establishment of a large number of awards by various ministries/departments and the selection of an excessive number of awardees had affected the prestige of these awards. The Honourable Prime Minister’s views in this regard were shared, as follows:
“Transform the entire system of government awards, particularly to build credibility and trust—by focusing on merit, fairness, transparency, public participation, simplicity, efficiency, and the use of technology. And the selection of awardees should be such that the awards are given dignity and their unique contributions inspire the nation.”
The guidelines for the “National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities” have been simplified and revised and notified in the Gazette of India (July 19, 2022). These revised guidelines have two main categories:
- Personal Excellence (6 sub-categories)
- Institutional Empowerment (9 sub-categories)
Under the revised guidelines, applications/nominations are invited only through online mode on the portal www.awards.gov.in developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.