Establishment of the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Cell

The Persons with Disabilities (PwD) Cell at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay was formally constituted by the Director through Office Order No. AO/LU/2025 dated 03rd November, 2025 with the objective of promoting inclusion, empowerment, accessibility, and the overall well-being of students and employees of the Institute. The Office Order constituted the PwD Cell comprising representatives from the academic, administrative, medical, student, and external sectors to serve as the Institute’s dedicated mechanism for disability inclusion and accessibility.

The establishment of the PwD Cell marks a significant milestone in IIT Bombay’s continuing commitment to equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusive excellence. It reflects the Institute’s recognition that every member of its academic community should have the opportunity to participate fully, contribute meaningfully, and flourish with dignity, independence, and equal access to education, employment, research, and campus life.

Prior to the constitution of the PwD Cell, disability-related matters concerning students were addressed through the Student PwD Cell. While this initiative played an important role in supporting students with disabilities, the growing recognition of accessibility as a shared institutional responsibility necessitated a more comprehensive and integrated framework. Accordingly, the PwD Cell was established with an expanded mandate to serve not only students, but also faculty members, staff, research scholars, contractual employees, visitors, and all other stakeholders associated with the Institute.

The PwD Cell functions as the Institute’s nodal body for coordinating disability-related policies, grievance redressal, accessibility initiatives, and support services. It works collaboratively with academic departments, administrative offices, support services, faculty members, students, and external agencies to ensure equitable access to education, research, employment, campus infrastructure, digital resources, and institutional services. Through policy implementation, institutional coordination, awareness programmes, capacity-building initiatives, and stakeholder engagement, the Cell seeks to cultivate an institutional ecosystem that is responsive to the diverse needs and aspirations of persons with disabilities.

The vision of the PwD Cell is founded upon the principle that accessibility extends far beyond physical infrastructure. It encompasses digital accessibility, inclusive pedagogy, accessible communication, equitable administrative processes, assistive technologies, and the elimination of attitudinal barriers. Guided by the principles of universal accessibility and universal design, the Cell strives to embed inclusion into every aspect of institutional policy, governance, teaching, research, and campus life.

The functioning of the PwD Cell is guided by the constitutional values of equality, dignity, justice, and non-discrimination, while remaining aligned with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, and other applicable statutory and regulatory frameworks. The Cell is committed not only to ensuring compliance with these legal mandates but also to promoting a culture in which accessibility and inclusion become defining characteristics of institutional excellence.

At IIT Bombay, disability is understood not as a limitation but as an integral expression of human diversity that enriches the intellectual, cultural, and social fabric of the Institute. The PwD Cell is committed to fostering an environment where accessibility is proactively designed rather than retrospectively accommodated, where diversity is embraced as a source of institutional strength, and where every individual is empowered to realise their fullest potential without encountering avoidable barriers.

As IIT Bombay continues to strengthen its position as a globally recognised centre of excellence in education, research, and innovation, the PwD Cell remains committed to shaping an inclusive institutional future one in which accessibility is embedded by design, equity informs every policy and practice, and excellence is measured not only by academic achievement but also by the extent to which every member of the Institute is enabled to participate with dignity, autonomy, and equal opportunity.