According to PWD Act, 1995, a person with a disability is one who suffers from not less than _________% of any disability as identified by a medical authority.

“Person with Disability” means a person with long term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with barriers, hinders his full and effective participation in society equally with others.

Key Points

The Person with Disabilities Act, 1995 is an act that:

• provides equal opportunities to the people who suffer from 40% of any disabilities.
• ensures that every child with disabilities has access to free education till 18 years of age.
• focuses on making all public buildings disabled-friendly by providing ramps, slopes, auditory signals, etc.
• covers 7 disabilities like blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, mental illness, hearing impairment, mental retardation, etc.

Hence, it could be concluded that according to PWD Act, 1995, a person with a disability is one who suffers from not less than 40% of any disability as identified by a medical authority.

Additional Information

• 'The Person with Disabilities Act, 1995' has been replaced by 'The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016' which covers 21 disabilities.
• The "International Day of Persons with Disabilities" is observed on 3rd December.