"The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995" came into force in the year 1996. This law is a significant step in the direction of ensuring equal opportunities for people with disabilities and their full participation in the nation building. The Act provides for both preventive and promotional aspects of rehabilitation. This law is a landmark and grants provisions like education, employment and vocational training, job reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier-free environment, rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment allowance for the disabled, special insurance scheme for the disabled employees and establishment of homes for persons with severe disability etc.

Under this law surveys, investigations and research has to be conducted to ascertain the cause of occurrence of disabilities so that various measures can be taken to prevent them. The law also insists on launch of awareness campaigns to disseminate information.

The law also says that every child with disability shall have the rights for free education till the age of 18 years in integrated schools or special schools. Appropriate transportation, removal of architectural barriers and restructuring of curriculum and modifications in the examination system should be ensured for the benefit of children with disabilities. The government authorities must provide books and special equipment necessary for the disabled person free of cost, and must also cover the costs of special education of children with disability.

The Persons with Disabilities Act prescribes certain measures to ensure that people with disabilities have privileges in the area of employment. In all government establishments, and also, in the public sector there must be reservation for persons with disabilities which should not be less than three percent.

But the government can exempt some establishments from employing people with disabilities depending on the type of work conducted in the establishment. The private sector is not under any legal obligation to make reservations for persons with disabilities. But it is the government's duty to provide incentives to employers in private and public sectors to ensure that at least five percent of the workforce consists of persons with disabilities.

As per the law, within its economic capacity, the government is expected to take special measures to adapt railway compartments, buses, and aircrafts to permit easy access to people with disabilities. For instance, the toilets in railway compartments, aircrafts, and waiting rooms should be constructed to suit the needs of people who use wheel chairs.

With in the economic capacity, the government or other authorities and local authorities are under a duty to undertake the rehabilitation of all people with disabilities, and for this purpose, the government can grant funds to NGOs that work with people with disabilities and consult them while formulating the rehabilitation policies.

The financial assistance that shall be made available to the universities, other institutions of higher learning, professional bodies and non-government research units or institutions for undertaking research for special education, rehabilitation and manpower development, is also incorporated in this law.

People with disabilities and their families should be aware the Disability Act so that they are not taken advantage of. In case of violation of rights, as prescribed in this act, people with disabilities may move an application to the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in the Centre or to the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in the States.

The government enforces several laws and every law has its own importance. This importance will only be conspicuous if these laws are not breached by us. As a citizen, it is our duty to see to it that we follow these rules and laws to let the system work in our favour. Hence, we should see that we do not contravene any of the rules in the Disability Act, and in a way, help the people with disabilities to bask a normal life as we all do.