Official Question UPSC 2026
Which of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities in India is/are correct ? 1. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, an Act passed by the Parliament of India in 2018, mandates reservation in education and employment, places a legal duty on Governments to ensure accessibility and non-discrimination. 2. The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan focuses on achieving universal accessibility for Persons with Disabilities across three key domains — built infrastructure, transport systems and information and communication technology. 3. The National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) is a public sector organisation set up by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as a not-for-profit company to promote entrepreneurship among Persons with Disabilities (PwDs). Select the answer using the code given below :
Solution & Analysis
Answer: B
Let us evaluate the legislative and administrative frameworks managed by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD):
•Statement 1 is Incorrect: While the substance of the statement is true (it mandates 4% employment reservation and strict accessibility duties), the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act was historically passed by Parliament in 2016, not 2018. This specific chronological error renders the statement false.
•Statement 2 is Correct: The Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan (Accessible India Campaign), launched in 2015, is explicitly structured around three pillars of universal accessibility: the built environment (public buildings), the transportation ecosystem, and Information & Communication Technology (ICT/digital ecosystems).
•Statement 3 is Incorrect: The National Divyangjan Finance and Development Corporation (NDFDC) is indeed a not-for-profit PSU designed to provide concessional finance to PwDs. However, because its mandate is social welfare, it was established under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, not the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Conclusion: Only statement 2 is factually completely accurate.