As per census 2011 in India about 26.8 million persons are ‘disabled’ which is 2.21% of the total population. Every 1 in 12 households has a disability. World Bank reports state that the number may be actually three times more, about 60 to 70 million.

There are 7.8 million children with disabilities, 72% in the rural areas, 28% in the urban areas. According to the 2014 National Survey of Out of School Children report, some 600,000 (28%) special-needs children between six and 13 years of age are out of school.

Employment rates of persons with disability are barely 30% and mostly in the unorganized sector. This varies with geographical location (urban or rural), gender, education, and type of disability. According to 2011 Census of India, 68% of India lives in rural areas. The rural disabled are significantly disconnected from skills and markets. There are several barriers for people with disabilities to enter the labour market

Only 34% of households with a disabled member reported having access to public facilities.