On the International Day of Sign Languages 2025, the Union Minister for Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, shared a video message  through PM eVidya ISL Channel No. 31, celebrating Indian Sign Language (ISL) as a symbol of inclusion, identity, and empowerment.

Sign languages are key to inclusion of persons with hearing impairment in society. On #InternationalDayOfSignLanguages, let us honour the richness of sign languages worldwide and celebrate the rapid strides Bharat has taken to strengthen Indian Sign Language. ISL stands tall as a… pic.twitter.com/RU9IHKYU6O

— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) September 23, 2025

He began the address by emphasizing that on this International Day of Sign Languages, we honor the richness of sign languages worldwide and celebrate the strides Bharat has taken to strengthen Indian Sign Language. This day is not just a commemoration; it is a festival of inclusion. Bharat has always believed that “Shiksha Sabka Adhikar Hai” - education is the right of every child. From the silence of meditation to the folded palms of Namaskar, and from the graceful mudras in our dances and temples, our civilization has always communicated beyond words. In this proud tradition, Indian Sign Language stands tall today.

He quoted the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, which reminds us that a child learns best in the language most natural to them - their mother tongue. He further added that for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, that language is Indian Sign Language. Recognizing ISL ensures that no child is left behind in the classroom. This also reflects the vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji, who has said that Bharat’s march to Samridh Bharat 2047 must leave no one behind. Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas comes alive with the recognition of Indian Sign Language as one of the languages of Bharat. Over the last few years, this vision has been steadily realized.

Speaking about the progress in ISL, the Minister highlighted the transformative role of the PM eVidya ISL Channel 31, launched in December 2024. From only a few hundred subscribers at the start, it now has nearly 10,000 subscribers and 85,000 viewers. With six hours of daily broadcast, it brings NCERT lessons in ISL to children across the country. NCERT textbooks for classes 1 to 5 are already available in Indian Sign Language video format on DIKSHA, with QR codes for easy access, and work is underway for classes 1 to 12.

Further, the Indian Sign Language Dictionary has expanded to over 10,000 words. The digital repository now hosts hundreds of academic videos, fingerspelling resources, and more than 2,200 glossary videos covering subjects such as history, geography, economics, and sociology. ISL has also grown as a subject, with over 1,000 instructional videos to support learning. These are not just numbers - they represent students across Bharat gaining access to lessons in their own language, teachers connecting with every learner, and families learning together in a language they understand.

Supplementing these efforts is the PRASHAST App, which enables early diagnosis through disability screening in schools so that children receive timely support and personalized learning pathways. So far, 92 lakh students have been screened at the first level using PRASHAST.

Beyond outreach and timely diagnosis, efforts are being made to build awareness and capacity in society regarding ISL. The Basic Indian Sign Language course in February drew more than 21,000 participants. Special initiatives such as the Deaf-Blindness Program in June and the five-day Indian Sign Language Celebration this September provide teachers and students practical ways to use ISL.

The Minister also emphasized that these efforts, together with inspiration from role models like Sarah Sunny, India’s first deaf advocate in the Supreme Court, and G. Suresh, winner of seven international gold medals in deaf table tennis, demonstrate that when the system supports talent, excellence flourishes.

Concluding his message, the Minister said that a future-ready Bharat must be inclusive at its core. As PM Modi Ji has said, a future-ready Bharat must embrace inclusivity by 2047. Let Indian Sign Language be present in every school, university, and workplace - as both a cultural treasure and a tool that strengthens our journey to Samridh Bharat. This International Day of Sign Languages is not only about recognizing a language; it is about fulfilling our responsibility to ensure that no child is left out of the classroom, no youth feels excluded from society, and every learner contributes confidently to our journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047.

The address of the Hon’ble Education Minister can be viewed via PM eVidya ISL Channel 31. On the occasion of the International Sign Language Day, the Ministry of Education reiterates its commitment and relentless strive towards making society more inclusive. As a move in this direction, newly developed content in ISL featuring 469 academic terms, sign names of 132 districts in India, finger spellings in Hindi, Assamese, Gujarati, and Malayalam, 18 stories from National Book Trust and 2,256 glossary words related to Economics, Geography, History and Sociology will be made available on the PM e Vidya Channel No. 31 (https://www.youtube.com/live/47kdEZYsMgc?si=NsqbB4TADdPgLYu_) making the channel more holistic, engaging and relevant for all learners.

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MV/AK

(Release ID: 2170344)