New Delhi — The central government has unveiled draft accessibility standards for everyday products, ranging from kitchenware to furniture and grooming essentials, with a focus on universal design, braille, tactile features, and clear labelling to ensure barrier-free access for persons with disabilities.
Prepared by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and in line with Supreme Court directions, the proposed framework is anchored in the globally recognised “POUR” principle — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.
The guidelines call for products that are simple, intuitive, tolerant to errors, and usable with minimal effort, while also ensuring adequate space for wheelchair or mobility-aid users. Kitchenware and food packaging, for example, must feature easy-to-grip designs, resealable options, and braille or pictogram labels. Grooming products are required to have textured packaging and accessible dispensers, while clothing and footwear should include adaptive closures like Velcro or magnets.
Home accessibility solutions such as ramps, smart lighting, non-slip flooring, grab bars, and height-adjustable furniture are included, alongside childcare products like adaptive toys, inclusive strollers, and accessible swings. Medical supplies must incorporate braille labelling, ergonomic designs, and digital accessibility features.
Public-use infrastructure is also covered. Lifts must have tactile buttons, audio announcements, and wider doors; escalators and kiosks must offer tactile, visual, and auditory accessibility. ATMs, PoS devices, and UPI interfaces are required to be screen-reader compatible, while tactile markings on currency have also been proposed.
To address sensory and cognitive disabilities, the draft mandates high-contrast text, tactile symbols, auditory cues, large-print instructions, and easy-to-open packaging. Digital components must be compatible with screen readers, voice control, and alternative input devices.
Manufacturers are encouraged to integrate assistive technologies, including voice-operated appliances, QR-code-based auditory guidance, and accessible digital interfaces. However, the draft stresses that accessibility features should not significantly raise costs, suggesting subsidies, tax breaks, and inclusive distribution channels to make products affordable.
Compliance will be enforced through accredited accessibility testing, with products rated from Level A to AAA and certifications renewed periodically. A “carrot-and-stick” model is proposed — offering GST incentives for compliant manufacturers while penalising violators with fines, recalls, or public disclosure.
Importantly, the draft requires that persons with disabilities be actively involved in product design, prototyping, and feedback to ensure user needs are met. AI-driven monitoring and simple feedback mechanisms are also part of the enforcement plan.
The draft aligns with Indian Standards, the National Building Code, and global benchmarks such as the ADA (US), EAA (EU), and ISO guidelines, while complementing India’s Accessible India Campaign and international disability rights commitments.
