Beyond Enrolment: Understanding Educational Exclusion among Children with Disabilities in Rural India

While education is widely recognized as a fundamental right and a crucial tool for social mobility, children with disabilities in rural India continue to encounter significant obstacles in accessing quality education (2024). This study explores all the barriers to inclusive education faced by children with disabilities (CWDs) in rural India, moving beyond the narrow metric of school enrolment. Drawing on a structured survey of 400 parents of CWDs across all talukas of Dharwad district, the research investigates infrastructural gaps, social stigma, inadequacy of rehabilitative services, and parental perceptions of inclusion. Findings reveal that despite high enrolment rates, children continue to face exclusion through inaccessible facilities, undertrained teachers, peer bullying, and lack of support services. The study highlights the urgent need for holistic, policy-aligned implementation to ensure that educational inclusion is both meaningful and equitable