The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act of 2016 legally mandates that all higher education institutions (HEIs) provide fully accessible infrastructure and learning accommodations, including assistive devices like screen readers, for visually impaired students. Despite this clear statutory obligation, a significant "Implementation Gap" persists, fueled largely by the perception that the high capital expenditure (Capex) and operational complexity of legacy hardware (e.g., dedicated Braille displays) make compliance fiscally impossible. This analysis challenges that narrative, asserting that the cost justification is now obsolete. The report proposes that low-cost, software-based, AI-driven assistive technologies which run on common student devices like smartphones offer an immediate, scalable, and fiscally responsible solution. Key findings indicate that AI tools provide exponentially lower and more predictable Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to hardware, offer unique solutions for complex academic content (like inaccessible PDFs and STEM materials) that traditional technology failed to address, and are strategically aligned with India’s technological vision. The paper provides a clear, scalable roadmap to shift policy and institutional practice toward a software-first approach, effectively translating the RPwD Act’s legal text into a lived reality of educational equity
Shilimon et al. (Thu,) studied this question.