If the success of a country’s educational system is gauged by how well it is able to absorb kids with special needs into its schools, then the system here has a lot of catching up to do. According to data released recently by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the number of students with various forms of disabilities who appeared for the 2014 Class X examinations in CBSE schools in Maharashtra under the categories ‘blind’, ‘dyslexic’, ‘deaf’, ‘handicap’ and ‘spastic’ stood at 301. The number fell even further, with only 45 students appearing for the Class XII exams in 2014, under various categories of disability.

Experts blame the lack of awareness of schools and colleges for the alarming report. Pic for representation purpose