Prevalence and Educational Needs of Students with Intellectual Disability in India

Abstract

This study examines the prevalence and educational needs of students with intellectual disability (ID) in India by integrating national evidence with school-level data from a Grade-10 cohort in Lucknow (N = 600). Using AAIDD criteria and the Indian rights framework (RTE, 2009; RPwD, 2016), we review epidemiological estimates, access disparities, and comorbidities, and report locally relevant prevalence patterns to guide programming. The Lucknow sample showed a mean age of 15.30 years and mean IQ of 78.20, with mutually exclusive categories indicating Borderline Intelligence (77.00%), Specific Learning Disability (9.17%), Intellectual Disability (7.00%), and Scholastic Backwardness (6.83%). Gender and school-type cross-tabulations revealed imbalances, with government and aided schools bearing larger shares of BI, SLD, and ID, underscoring the need to strengthen screening and supports in public systems. Synthesizing national policy mandates with these findings, we recommend a sustained child-find approach; standardized multidisciplinary assessment; IEPs with measurable annual and short-term objectives; Universal Design for Learning to diversify access, engagement, and assessment; and tiered assistive technology from low-tech visuals to AAC and tablet tools. Transition-oriented functional curricula, teacher professional development, and community outreach should address stigma and rural–urban gaps. Overall, the study demonstrates that evidence-aligned, IEP-centred, UDL-supported, and technology-enabled practices can convert enrolment into meaningful learning, while clarifying priorities for resource allocation and capacity-building.