Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education, launched the Career Cards for Children with Special Needs (CwSN) at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, on March 31, 2026.

The initiative represents a significant milestone in advancing equitable access to career guidance resources for all learners across the country. The Career Cards have been developed through the technical collaboration and field insights of UNICEF India, NCERT including the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) and Pandit Sunderlal Sharma Central Institute of Vocational Education (PSSCIVE), Pratham Education Foundation, and National Institutes for Disabilities under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD).

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sanjay Kumar highlighted that the initiative is rooted in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023, both of which emphasise enabling every learner including children with special needs to explore diverse educational and occupational pathways. He reiterated the Union Minister for Education’s vision that, as Bharat advances towards a knowledge-driven, equitable and inclusive society, all learners must be empowered to contribute meaningfully, ensuring that no one is left behind in the journey towards Viksit Bharat.

The Secretary underlined the need for early identification, testing and flagging of CwSN within the schooling ecosystem, alongside building institutional capacity. He noted that while additional posts for special educators have been created, appointments must be expedited, and regular teachers also require targeted training. In this regard, NCERT will develop a dedicated training module for teachers, in collaboration with SCERTs and DIETs.

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Emphasising that skilling lies at the core of NEP 2020, he stated that by 2030, every student completing Class XII should possess at least one core skill. He added that PSSCIVE will play a key role in strengthening inclusive skilling, including for CwSN. Highlighting the importance of scaling such efforts, he reiterated that education will be central to transforming lives as India moves towards 2047. He also noted that NIOS has signed a long-standing MoU for affiliation with institutions catering to children with special needs, aligning with broader initiatives for inclusive education.

On the occasion, Joint Secretary, Smt. Prachi Pandey, informed that the Department of School Education and Literacy, in collaboration with UNICEF India and NCERT, had released a Career Guidance Book containing 500 Career Cards at the Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam on July 29, 2024.  She informed that with today’s launch, this national guidance architecture has been extended specifically to serve children with special needs, with approximately 150 cards adapted in an inclusive format, ensuring that inclusion remains a defining feature of India’s education transformation journey.

Smt. A. Srija, Economic Adviser presented the vote of thanks on the occasion.

The event was attended by Sh. Dheeraj Sahu (Addl. Secretary), Sh. Rahul Singh (Chairman, CBSE), Sh. Dinesh Prasad Saklani (Director, NCERT), Ms. Prachi Pandey (Joint Secretary), Ms. Amarpreet Duggal (Joint Secretary), Sh. Vikas Gupta (Commissioner, KVS), Sh. Rajesh Lakhani (Commissioner, NVS) from the Department, Dr. Saadhna Pandey from UNICEF and Ms. Rukmini Banerjee from Pratham Education Foundation. 

Career Cards are thoughtfully designed to help students make informed decisions about their future by providing early exposure to a wide range of career options. Each card offers concise information on roles and responsibilities, required qualifications, and potential career pathways, enabling students to explore opportunities aligned with their interests and aspirations.

These engaging and user-friendly cards serve as a valuable resource for teachers and counsellors to guide students in planning their academic and professional journeys effectively.

Earlier, NCERT developed a Career Guide Book with 500 Career Cards for students in collaboration with UNICEF. Now efforts have been made to make these Career cards accessible for CwSN. In this endeavour NCERT has developed 150 Career Cards specially designed for CwSN in collaboration with UNICEF making career guidance universally accessible and inclusive. Now, these cards  are available in Braille format too.

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AK

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