Merit is often viewed as an individual achievement, a combination of talent, effort and determination. However, these characteristics do not develop in a vacuum; They are consciously and unconsciously shaped by several factors, including access to education, social support and institutional support, which contribute to people’s success. For people with disabilities, the question is not only whether they have the ability to succeed, but also whether they are even given a fair chance to do so. “Merit” in this case determines not only how far a person can go, but also where they start.
Research conducted by the Inclusion Axis Foundation (IAF) on the inclusion of people with disabilities in higher education and on the challenges faced by women with disabilities in education and employment, highlights the gaps between justice, formal equality and access to opportunities. The key findings of two papers published by the IAF complicate the central assumption on which the concept of meritocracy rests: that the starting point is the same for every individual.
The lack of justice
women with disabilities Long before they have the opportunity to apply to university, they experience exclusion. Young women face multiple hurdles, from schools that are rarely willing to give them their rightful place in the classroom, inadequate and unsafe transportation, safety concerns, and, most importantly, stigma and gendered care norms that disproportionately impact them. Our research also sheds light on how a household’s economic and social priorities determine who prioritizes education, with women with disabilities often left on the margins of these priorities.
The IAF White Paper titled Education and Employment: Closing the Gap for Women with Disabilitiesexamines how gender and disability, along with patriarchy and antidisability sentiment, create barriers that impact women’s early education and limit their choices in higher education and careers. Therefore, it is important to recognize that a student who has access to holistic educational and employment opportunities without being hindered by gender barriers is not equal to someone who experiences multiple levels of marginalization. Therefore, performance should not be judged using a one-dimensional definition.
The university: just the beginning, not the end
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016mandates 5 per cent reservation for persons with benchmark disabilities in central and state government higher education institutions. However, the data collected by these institutions has repeatedly shown that a legal mandate alone cannot guarantee implementation and thus inclusion.
Another IAF white paper titled Beyond reservations: Inclusion of people with disabilities in higher educationquotes data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)an annual survey conducted by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Education. It shows that the number of enrolled students with disabilities reached 92,831 in 2019-20 before falling to 79,035 in 2020-21. There were 29,701 female students with disabilities enrolled in 2020-21, representing 0.15 percent of all female enrollment.
An analysis of AISHE 2020-21 Enrollment and completion data by state show that, on average, only 12 percent of enrolled students with disabilities completed their courses in the states studied. This estimate is based on available data and should be interpreted taking into account the limitations of the underlying data.
However, these numbers make one thing clear: admission is not the same as inclusion. Students may find their way into higher education institutions and still face challenges related to inaccessible environments and learning materials, as well as inadequate institutional support. On the other hand, a large number of students with disabilities continue to be excluded from the prospect of studying at university. A directive can therefore open the door. It cannot ensure compliance alone.
The missing bridge to employment
Even if a person is able to complete their education, the hurdles for women with disabilities do not end there. For them, the transition from training to employment remains associated with several challenges. Education does not always guarantee the development of skills. Lack of access to adequate internship and training opportunities, limited career guidance, discrimination in hiring practices, etc inadequate accommodations They reduce their chances of having a career before they even have the chance.
IAF research on women with disabilities also highlights a significant data problem. Although employment figures provide information about whether someone is considered to be employed, they often reveal little about job security, wages, working conditions, professional development or access to reasonable accommodation. Informal and unpaid work can further mask the extent of economic exclusion.
As education systems fail to go beyond formal inclusion and provide students with accessible routes to work, and employers refuse to provide accommodations that can help people with disabilities reach their full potential, the impact goes beyond individual loss. The country is losing talent and economic contributions that could otherwise have increased across all professions and institutions.
Rethinking the definition of merit
Our research highlights the importance and urgency of shifting the understanding of inclusion beyond mere inclusion and representation. We must demand institutional accountability in creating accessible higher education institutions and workplaces, providing reasonable accommodations, addressing retention and graduation rates, and supporting the transition to decent employment.
A fair system does not need to lower the bar for performance, but rather consciously seeks to remove barriers to help people achieve their full potential. The question is not whether people with disabilities have merit; It is about whether our institutions enable this merit to be recognized and its full potential realized.
Aarushi Gambhir is the founder of the Inclusion Axis Foundation, a PhD candidate, disability inclusion consultant, published author and TEDx speaker. She has worked extensively in the areas of disability inclusion, employment and education for people with disabilities. She has delivered keynotes and awareness sessions for students, educators and businesses. Her advocacy and awareness work is based on lived experience and cross-sector expertise developed through working across organizations and intersectional issues.
Sheikh Ayesha Islam is a Delhi-based researcher, social worker and author and a graduate of the Department of Educational Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia. She is currently a research director at the Inclusion Axis Foundation. Her work focuses on early childhood development, inclusive education, positive parenting, and child-centered research, with broader interests in education, social justice, gender, and sociocultural issues.
