India works to get disability community to identify on 2011 census

From Indian Express:

NEW DELHI -- Sitting in one of the rows, Kshama Kakade Kaushik, a disabled rights activist from Ajmer, made a mental note of meeting the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’s block resource teacher in order to sensitize her about the enumeration of the disabled in the 2011 Census questionnaire. Through the recourse teacher, she would be able to tap the caregivers who have access to the remote rural areas and they can spread the awareness about “number 9” question on disability.

Kshama was among the disabled rights activists from across the country who traveled to Delhi to discuss ways to raise awareness about the 2011 Census’s disability question, which has been moved to number 9 in the order from the 15th spot it occupied in 2001 Census.

Besides, the commission has revised the number of categories from five to eight, enumerating mental illness and mental retardation separately and incorporating a category called multiple disability where one can enumerate up to three disabilities.

But what the activists are touting as a major development is the inclusion of a category called “Any other” where autism, dyslexia, Alzheimer and any other disease that doesn’t fit into the other categories can be listed.