NEW DELHI: Findings of the National Sample Survey released on Saturday bring forth the worrisome fact that 3.7% persons of those surveyed with disabilities were living alone and ‘not as an inmate of institution/ hostel’.

The statement released by the National Statistical Office says that while prevalence of disability in the population is 2.2%, the incidence of disability during 365 days preceding the date of survey was 86 per 1,00,000 persons. Prevalence of disability was higher among males (2.4%) than females (1.9%).

A total of 1,06,894 (74,946 in rural areas and 31,948 in urban areas) persons with disabilities were surveyed.

Among persons with disabilities while 62.1 % had a

giver, for 0.3 % of the persons with disabilities caregiver was required but not available. In case of 37.7 % of the persons with disabilities no caregiver was required.

The survey found that among persons with disabilities of age 15 years and above, Labour Force Participation Rate in usual status (ps+ss) was 23.8% and the Worker Population Ratio in usual status (ps+ss) was 22.8%. The unemployment rate in usual status (ps+ss) was 4.2%. The Usual Status (ps+ss) approach to measuring unemployment uses a reference period of 365 days ie one year preceding the date of the survey of the National Sample Survey Organisation (

) for measuring unemployment.

Just 28.8% reported that they had a certificate of disability. The percentage of persons with disabilities who received aid/help from government was 21.8% and another 1.8% received aid/help from organisations other than government.

On the education front, the survey says that among persons with disabilities of age 7 years and above, 52.2% were literate. Among

persons of 15 years and above, 19.3% had highest educational level as

and above. Among persons with disabilities of age 3 to 35 years, 10.1% attended pre-school intervention programmes and in the same age group the percentage of persons who were ever enrolled in ordinary school, was 62.9%.

The survey was conducted between July to December 2018 as a part of 76th round of National Sample Survey (NSS). Before the current round, a survey on similar lines was carried out by NSO during July-December 2002.

This survey is significant as it takes into account all the specified disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. In this pan India survey, for the central sample, data were collected from 1,18,152 households (81,004 in rural areas and 37,148 in urban areas) and 5,76,569 persons (4,02,589 in rural areas and 1,73,980 in urban areas).