Latest study points out only 36% of disabled people in India are employed

It is a known fact that participation of disabled people in the economy is extremely important for its development. In India, there are over 30 million people with various kinds of disabilities. But are their skills really tapped for the development of the nation?

According to a new study by the Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN), only 36% of disabled people are employed, most of them in the retail sector. . When it comes to mainstream sectors, people with disabilities are largely unrepresented.

The study says that 90% of disabled people have jobs in the unorganized sectors, and tapping their potential for mainstream jobs, can boost the country’s GDP significantly.

Anuradha Krishnamoorthy, Founder, Krea eKnowledge Pvt Ltd. and Can DO, a CSR initiative that provides training and employment for people with disabilities says there are plenty of upcoming markets to explore.

There is a lot of work to be done here. Trainers must also make sure that they are ready to face the market in all possible ways. They must be made more employable. Mainly, people’s attitudes towards disabilities must change. Similarly, people with disabilities must also stop looking into doing just one kind of job. I have noticed that most disabled people prefer either a teaching job or some kind of government job. You must be open to learning and exploring new avenues.- Anuradha Krishnamoorthy, Founder, Can DO

Experts point out that when disabled people participate in mainstream, there are can be a hike of up to 7% to the GDP. Even though almost 50% of disabled people in our country are at an age where they are able to do jobs, they are not given opportunities. Discrimination is a major factor.

Raja Rajasekharan P is the Co-founder and Director of v-shesh, an award winning organization that prepares job seekers with opportunities and organizations with disability inclusion. He says it is disheartening that such a huge number of disabled people are denied the right to earn a living.

“This is a basic fundamental right and this huge population can easily add to the GDP and economy. In fact, all stakeholders are responsible for this loss. The government, private sectors and people must come together to bring about a change. We must break barriers. Most importantly, there must be awareness about disabilities”, he says.

Much of the push for workplace inclusion in India is coming from multinationals which have well established policies in diversity and inclusion. Something that more Indian companies must adopt.

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