Support For Development of Accessible Learning Materials

“Project on Financial Support for Development of Accessible Learning Materials (DALM Project)“

Under the SIPDA Scheme

The Government of India, under the provisions of Section 17(g) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, has been implementing initiatives to ensure inclusive education for children with benchmark disabilities.
In pursuance of this mandate, a Central Sector Scheme was initially introduced during the financial year 2014–15 to provide free textbooks, learning materials, and suitable assistive devices to students with benchmark disabilities up to the age of 18 years. As part of this initiative, the scheme titled Assistance for Establishment/Modernization/Capacity Augmentation of Braille Presses was launched with the primary objective of providing Braille textbooks and course materials to visually impaired students up to Class XII across India, free of cost. With effect from April 2022, the scheme was renamed as the Project for Financial Assistance for Braille Presses to better reflect its operational scope.
Recognizing the evolving educational needs of students with visual impairments and the growing demand for diverse accessible formats, the scheme guidelines were further revised in November 2023. Subsequently, the scheme was renamed as the Project on Financial Support for Development of Accessible Learning Materials (DALM Project).

Implementation and Achievements

• A total of 25 Braille presses, 03 Large Print Presses, 07 Talking Book Centres, 09 E-PUB Centres have been established across the country.
• 15,59,76,490 Braille pages, 12,13,316 Large Print Pages, 1,53,818 E-PUB Pages, 49,491 Talking book Pages have been produced and distributed till 2025-26.
• The project has benefited 1,79,084 beneficiaries with visual impairments.

Nodal Agency: National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (Divyangjan), Dehradun

Circulars and Orders