REHABILITATION COUNCIL OF INDIA

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is the apex government body set up under an Act of Parliament
to regulate training programs and courses targeted at disabled, disadvantaged, and special education
requirement communities. It is the only statutory council in India that is required to maintain the Central
Rehabilitation Register which mainly documents details of all qualified professionals who operate and
deliver training and educational programs for the targeted communities enacted by Parliament, and it
became a Statutory Body on 22 June, 1993.

The Rehabilitation Council of India(RCI) was set up as a registered society in 1986.On September,1992
the RCI Act was enacted by Parliament and it became a Statutory Body on 22 June 1993.The Act was
amended by Parliament in 2000 to make it more broad based. The Act also prescribes punitive action
against unqualified persons delivering services to persons with disability.

The Act was amended by Parliament in 2000 to make it more broad based. The mandate given to RCI is
to regulate and monitor services given to persons with disability, to standardize syllabi and to maintain a
Central Rehabilitation Register of all qualified professionals and personnel working in the field of
Rehabilitation courses at various levels in the field of Rehabilitation and Special Education. It also
maintains the Central Rehabilitation Register for qualified Professionals/ Personnel in the area of
Rehabilitation and Special Education and promotes Research in Special Education.

The Act also prescribes punitive action against unqualified persons delivering services to
persons with disability. The amendment brought definitions and discussions provided within the earlier
Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992, under the ambit of a larger act, namely Persons with
Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

In the year 2000, the Rehabilitation Council of India (Amendment) Act, 2000, was introduced and
notified consequently by the government of India.

Objectives of Rehabilitation Council of India

 To regulate the training policies and programs in the field of rehabilitation of persons with
disabilities
 To bring about standardization of training courses for professionals dealing with persons with
disabilities
 To prescribe minimum standards of education and training of various categories of
professionals/ personnel dealing with people with disabilities
 To regulate these standards in all training institutions uniformly throughout the country
 To recognize institutions/organizations/universities running masters degree/bachelors
degree/P.G. Diploma/Diploma/Certificate courses in the field of rehabilitation of persons with
disabilities
 To recognize degree/diploma/certificate awarded by foreign universities/institutions on
reciprocal basis
 To promote research in Rehabilitation and Special Education
 To maintain Central Rehabilitation Register for registration of professionals/personnel
  To collect information on a regular basis on education and training in the field of rehabilitation
of people with disabilities from institutions in India and abroad
 To encourage continuing education in the field of rehabilitation and special education by way of
collaboration with organizations working in the field of disability
 To recognize Vocational Rehabilitation Centers as manpower development centers
 To register vocational instructors and other personnel working in the Vocational Rehabilitation
Centers
 To recognize the national institutes and apex institutions on disability as manpower
development centers
 To register personnel working in national institutes and apex institutions on disability under the
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Specific Role of the Rehabilitation Council of India

The Rehabilitation Council of India's specific role is to develop, standardize and regulate training
programs/As per provisions of RCI Act, Prior approval of RCI is a must for all
universities/institutions/organizations— government and non-government, etc. to start any training
course in the field of Rehabilitation and Special Education.

Prescribed norms for each training program have to be fulfilled to be eligible to run a course are as
follows:

• To obtain approval of Rehabilitation Council of India/Government of India, the

organization/institute/ center/university desirous of starting the Masters Degree/Degree/PG
Diploma/Diploma/Certificate course should approach RCI through the respective State
Government/Union Territory to assess the infrastructural facilities before starting the course.

The competent authority of State Government/Union Territory Administration must indicate in clear
terms whether they are or not in favor of starting a college or institution managed by a
nongovernmental organization.

• The institute should adopt the standards of staff, space and equipment, etc. as recommended
by the Rehabilitation Council of India and give an undertaking for their phased implementation within
the stipulated period.

The institute must submit in writing the willingness of University/Board who can grant affiliation, if the
Rehabilitation Council of India permits the Masters Degree/Degree/PG Diploma/Diploma course to be
started.

• The institute must satisfy Rehabilitation Council of India about possessing enough training
facilities to undertake the Masters Degree/Degree/PG Diploma/ Diploma course.

The management must provide adequate facilities to administrative and teaching staff required for
Masters Degree/Degree/PG Diploma/Diploma courses as per the recommendation of the Council.

The management of the institute must submit a plan for the construction of full-fledged division and
appoint competent personnel to man the same.
16 categories of professionals/personnel have been covered under the RCI Act as given below:

 Audiologists and speech therapists

 Clinical psychologists
 Hearing and ear-mold technicians
 Rehabilitation engineers and technicians
 Special teachers for educating and training the handicapped
 vocational counsellors, employment officers and placement officers
 Multipurpose rehabilitation therapists,
 Speech pathologists
 Rehabilitation psychologists
 Rehabilitation social workers
 Rehabilitation practitioners in mental retardation
 Orientation and mobility specialists
 community-based rehabilitation professionals
 Rehabilitation counsellors, administrators
 prosthetists and orthotists
 Rehabilitation workshop managers
However, professionals like physiotherapists and -occupational therapists are not covered
under the NCI Act .RCI trains master trainers, rehabilitation professionals and personnel for
creating better service delivery facilities for the persons with disability. However, it does not
offer any direct benefit, financial or material help to the persons with disability. RCI does not
provide any help to the persons with disabilities for their employment.Nor does it perform any
intermediary role between various organizations offering employment to the disabled. The
Council is also not responsible to maintain any employment register or coordination with
various special employment exchanges.
The RCI is facilitating a National Bridge Course through a network of selected institutions (list
given on RCI website) for persons not possessing any recognized rehabilitation qualification
who have been working in the field of disability and rehabilitation of the disabled before June
1993, i.e. Before the RCI came into existence. Such persons must be 10th pass or above in
qualification and must produce conclusive proof of working in the field of disability and
rehabilitation of the disabled prior to June 1993, in order to be trained under the Bridge Course.
All persons trained under the Bridge Course are registered by the Council as Rehabilitation
Personnel. The RCI has launched a National Program me on Orientation of Medical Officers
Working in Primary Health Centers since July 1999. This has been done with the prime objective
of creating awareness and sensitization in the rural areas for creation better service facilities in
the much-neglected rural areas of the country. So far, around 8000 medical officers have been
trained under this program and 21,000 more are to be trained in the next one year.
Rehabilitation Services in India
A large number of Government departments, NGOs, institutions, voluntary agencies are
functioning for disabled/handicapped for their rehabilitation and care.
Some of them are enlisted here:-
 ' Ministry of social justice and empowerment.
 Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Human Resource Development, Labour,
Information and Broadcasting.
 Regional and District Rehabilitation Centres. Rehabilitation Council of India.
 Occupational Therapy School (Mumbai, Nagpur, etc.)
 All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (Mumbai, CMC
Vellore).
 Occupational Therapy College, Mumbai.
 National Institute of Mentally Handicapped (NIMH) Secunderabad (Regional
branches at Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata).
 Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai (Regional
branches at Delhi, Kolkata, Secunderabad)e
 National Institute for Visually Handicapped, Dehradun.
 National Institute for the Orthopaedically Handicapped, Kolkata, etc.

Below are the CRE points required to score in the Disability Rehabilitation and Special
education field.
CRE PROGRAMME
S.No PARTICIPATION LEVELCRE POINTS REMARKS
1 Resource Person 10 Not more than 30 points per workshop
2 Coordinator 5 Per day
3 Participant 6 Per day
- - 10 Per day for participants of North Eastern States, maximum of 30 for five
days
Rehabilitation Council of India Courses

RCI offers a wide range of training courses in regular as well as distance mode for the disabled
persons which include;
• Certificate courses
• Diploma courses
• PG Diploma courses
• Degree courses
• PG Degree courses/Master’s level courses

Short-term/refresher courses
The entire courses list under regular mode as per the person’s disability or impairment is
mentioned below:
S.No Course Name Course Duration
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
1 M.Ed Special Education 2
2 B.Ed Special Education 2
3 Bachelor in Mobility Science 1
4 D.Ed Special Education 2
5 Diploma in Computer Education 1
HEARING IMPAIRMENT
6 M.Ed Special Education 2
7 B.Ed Special Education 2
8 D.Ed Special Education 2
9 Diploma in Early Childhood Special Education 1
10 Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation 2
11 Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language 2
INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
12 M.Ed Special Education 2
13 B.Sc Special Education and Rehabilitation 3
14 B.Ed Special Education 2
15 P.G. Diploma in Early Intervention 1
16 D.Ed Special Education 2
17 Diploma in Vocational Rehabilitation 1
18 Diploma in Early Childhood Special Education 1
19 Integrated B.Ed – M.Ed Special Education 3
LEARNING DISABILITY
20 M.Ed Special Education 2
21 B.Ed Special Education 2
22 Integrated B.Ed – M.Ed Special Education 3
PROSTHETICS & ORTHOTICS
23 Master in P.O. 2
24 Bachelor in P.O. 4½
25 Diploma in P.O. 2
26 Certificate Course in P.O. 1
COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION
27 Diploma in Community Based Rehabilitation 1
REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY
28 M.Phil 2
29 P.G. Diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology 1
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
30 M.Phil 2
31 Professional Diploma in Clinical Psychology 1
32 Psyd in Clinical Psychology 4
SPEECH & HEARING
33 M.Sc in Audiology 2
34 M.Sc in Speech-Language Pathology 2
35 Bachelor in Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology 4
36 Diploma in Hearing Language & Speech 1
37 Diploma in Hearing Aid Repair and Ear Mold Technology 1
38 P.G. Diploma Course in Auditory Verbal Therapy 1
39 P.G. Diploma in Alternative & Augmentative Communication 1
LOCOMOTOR & CEREBRAL PALSY
40 D. Ed Special Education 2
41 B. Ed Special Education 2
42 M. Ed Special Education 2
43 P.G. Diploma in Developmental Therapy 1
AUTISM SPECTRUM & DISORDER
44 D. Ed Special Education 2
45 B. Ed Special Education 2
46 M.Ed. Special Education 2
REHABILITATION THERAPY
47 Diploma in Rehabilitation Therapy 2½
48 Certificate Course in Rehabilitation Therapy 1
VOCATION COUNSELLING & REHABILITATION SOCIAL WORK/ADMINISTRATION
49 Master in Rehabilitation Science 2
50 M.Sc. in Pyscho-Social Rehabilitation 2
51 Master in Disability Rehabilitation Administration 2
52 M.A. Social Work in Disability Studies & Action 2
53 Bachelor in Rehabilitation Science 3
54 P.G. Diploma in Disability Rehabilitation & Management 1
55 Advance Diploma in Child Guidance & Counselling 1
CAREGIVERS
56 Certificate Course in Care Giving 10 months
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
57 B.A./B. Com/B.Sc. B. Ed Special Education 4
Rehabilitation Council of India Registration
The persons registered with RCI shall be entitled to practice as rehabilitation professionals/
personnel in any part of India and to recover in due course of law in respect of such practice
any expenses, charges in respect of medicaments or other appliances or any fees to which he
may be entitled.

 The candidate’s name should be written in the application form as per the name
mentioned in the certificate issued by RCI approved rehabilitation Training institute
 The applicant should submit photocopies duly attested by a gazette officer of all
certificates from high school onward along with the application form.
 Applicant should attach attested photocopies of degree/diploma certificates along with
mark sheet of his professional qualification. Kindly note mark sheet alone will not be
considered for registration.
 Application form and Declaration form should be signed by the candidate.
 Reference of three persons with their address and telephone no. on a separate sheet to
be attached.
 Enclose Certificate from the employer (in case person employed) regarding
 Professional Experience in the field of Rehabilitation for the Disabled
 Knowledge of the field
 Affix Photograph on the application form and enclose an additional one color passport
size photograph duly attested by the Gazette officer on the backside of the photograph
 Any other information for justification of experience in the field of Rehabilitation for the
disabled.
Rehabilitation Council of India Application Form for Registration
The application form of RCI consists of the following details:

 UTR/TRN Number
 Date of Birth
 Bank Name
 Candidate’s Name
 After filling the details click on ‘Submit’ for further processing of the form.
 application form.jpeg
Functions of Rehabilitation Council of India
The functions of the council are as follows.

 Recognition of qualifications granted by university etc., in India for Rehabilitation

Professionals.
 Recognition of qualification by Institutions outside India
 Rights of persons possessing qualifications included in the schedule to be enrolled
 Power to require information as to courses of study and examination
 Inspectors at examinations
 Visitors’ examination
 Withdrawal of recognition
 Minimum standards of education
 Registration in Register
 Privileges of persons who are registered on Register
 Professional Conduct and removal of names from Register
 An appeal against Order of removal from Register
 Register
 Information to be furnished by council and publication thereof
 Cognizance of offenses
 Protection of action taken in good faith
 Employees of Council to be public servants
 Power to make rules and regulations
 Laying of rules and regulations before parliament
CONCLUSION
The Rehabilitation Council of India was a registered society established in 1986. It is an apex
government body, set up under a parliamentary act to regulate training programs and courses
conducted for the communities of disabled and disadvantaged.
SUMMARY
The RCI Act was enacted on 1st September 1992 in order to regulate the training of
rehabilitation professionals and the maintenance of a Central Rehabilitation Register and for
matters connected therewith. The RCI Act became a Statutory Body on 22nd 1993. It was
amended under an Act of parliament. It also prescribes strict actions against the unqualified
people who were offering services to disabled persons.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
K. Park; “ Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine” 25th Edition 2019; Bhanot
Publications; Page No. 43, 326
Bijayalaskhmi Dash; “ A Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing” First Edition
2017; Jaypee Publications; Page No. 714-716