The technological transformation happening in India is incredible. We can witness the innovation in every zone ranging from fintech, healthcare and to AI-driven manufacturing, as India competes towards a new digital edge. However, amid the growth of the tech-minded population and more widespread digital solutions, one crucial question looms large: Is this growth truly inclusive?
Accessibility frequently remains a second thought in tech design. In a country as diverse and populous as India, the digital divide extends beyond internet access. It also includes accessibility for people with disabilities. With more than 90 million people living with disabilities in India, web accessibility is crucial for ensuring that everyone can participate in the digital landscape. However, while strides are being made, there is still much work to be done to make Indian websites truly inclusive.
Accessibility techniques can benefit individuals with situational disabilities, such as mobile users, senior citizens, people with temporary impairments, or those in challenging environments such as limited internet connectivity. By implementing apt accessibility practices, organizations provide equal access and opportunity for individuals of varying abilities.
Continue reading the blog to explore the significance and key principles of accessibility.
What is Web Accessibility and why it is important?
The notion of web accessibility or simply accessing the internet originates from the establishing of internet access as an undeniable right. The Supreme Court of India declared the internet access as a fundamental right in the Constitution of India. Several international Various international channels where India is a cosigner, such as the United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) direct access to information. The rising dependency on internet and websites necessitates usability as an important aspect of the web site development, enabling accessibility to all individuals, including persons with disabilities.
Web accessibility ensures designing websites and apps usable for individuals with disabilities, enabling them to perceive, understand, traverse, interact with, and participate in the Web. Disabilities can include auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual impairments.
The Importance of Accessible Websites in India
Realizing web accessibility guarantees that every individual can use and get value from web content despite their abilities and disabilities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1 billion people, or approximately 16% of the global population, experience significant various disabilities.
When websites, apps, and digital content fail to meet the needs of all users, many people are substantially excluded from accessing services and products designed for everyone. Businesses can ensure the openness of digital experience by emphasizing implementation and practice of web accessibility standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) guidelines.
Empowering Millions of Disabled Users: Accessible websites can provide better opportunities in education, employment, and social inclusion for people with disabilities.
Improving Access to Government Services: With initiatives like Digital India aimed at delivering e-governance, accessible digital services such as applying for licenses or basic information are essential.
Business Benefits: Neglecting web accessibility can mean missing out on a significant market segment. Additionally, accessible websites often have better SEO rankings, faster load times, and improved user experiences for all users.
Innovation and Uniqueness: Accessibility helps to differentiate an organization from its competitors, enabling it to be unique and prominent in the marketplace.
Web Accessibility and India’s Legal Framework
In India, several important rules and regulations endorse the notion of accessibility, aiming for an integrative and non-discriminatory society. India has developed a robust legal framework to support the rights of people with disabilities, particularly in the digital sphere as mentioned below:
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016: This landmark legislation aligns India with global standards, mandating accessible public infrastructure, including websites and apps. According to the Act, all information and communication technology (ICT) must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. It provides penalties for non-compliance, ensuring that both the public and private sectors must take steps to conform to these regulations.
Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW): Issued by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the GIGW specifies that all government websites in India must adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, particularly aiming for Level AA conformance. These guidelines are designed to make digital content accessible for people with various disabilities.
Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan): Launched in 2015, this initiative is focused on making physical and digital spaces accessible for persons with disabilities. As part of this campaign, government ministries and departments were instructed to make their websites WCAG 2.0 Level AA compliant.
The Information Technology Act, 2000: This law tackles the digital world, assuring that websites and apps are accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Amendments to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act: In 2023, the Government has amended the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act to enhance accessibility in more public places and online. An essential element of this amendment demands websites to adhere to specific content guidelines, making them accessible and understandable for every individual, embracing persons with disability.
Challenges in India
Tech companies in India experience unique challenges in assuring their products are accessible. They are responsible for designing and building digital solutions—such as websites, apps, and devices—that fulfill the diverse needs of all users, including people with disabilities. Despite legal requirements and potential benefits, there are significant challenges to achieving web accessibility in India:
Image: Key Challenges in Accessibility
Lack of Awareness: Many Indian businesses, especially in the private sector, are unaware of accessibility standards or do not prioritize them. This leads to poor implementation or complete disregard for web accessibility.
Cost Misconception: There’s a widespread belief that making a website accessible is expensive or resource intensive. However, integrating accessibility into web design and development from the start can minimize costs. Retrofitting accessibility into an existing website may involve more effort, but it is still a necessary investment for inclusivity.
Slow Adoption of WCAG Standards: While the GIGW mandates WCAG 2.0 compliance for government websites, adoption has been slow. Many websites, especially older ones, fail to meet even the minimum accessibility standards. The situation is even worse in the private sector, where compliance is often voluntary and not widely enforced.
Implementation Gaps: While larger companies are beginning to recognize the importance of accessibility, smaller businesses, startups, and regional websites lag behind, often due to budget constraints or lack of understanding of how to implement these changes.
Limited Use of Assistive Technologies: Although assistive technologies, such as screen readers and voice recognition tools, are becoming more popular in India, their adoption is still low, particularly in rural areas. This limits the effectiveness of accessible websites for users who may benefit from these tools but are unaware of them.
Multilingual Websites: India’s vast linguistic diversity poses a unique challenge in terms of making websites accessible. Ensuring that assistive technologies work seamlessly across different Indian languages is a growing need but is currently underdeveloped.
As usability becomes very significant in website development, this is the primary reason why websites are compared against the User Experience (UX) they provide. Also read our blog on AI/ML in CX Engineering
The key challenge in realising accessibility in India is the lack of accessible technology and tools in the Indian market, making it complex for developers to design and develop accessible digital stuffs.
How India Can Improve Web Accessibility
1. Stricter Enforcement of Laws
While the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act and the Accessible India Campaign have laid a strong foundation, stricter enforcement and penalties for non-compliance are needed to ensure both government and private entities make accessibility a priority.
2. Awareness Campaigns
Government and advocacy groups can play a critical role in spreading awareness about web accessibility. These campaigns should target not only web developers and businesses but also the public, including people with disabilities, who need to understand their digital rights.
3. Incentivizing Accessibility
Offering tax benefits or other incentives to companies that invest in making their digital spaces accessible could encourage greater adoption. This could be a game changer in sectors like e-commerce, online education, and financial services, where accessibility can directly influence customer satisfaction and retention.
4. Accessible Education and Training
Introducing web accessibility into curricula for web design, development, and IT courses in Indian universities can produce a new generation of developers who consider accessibility from the outset. In addition, offering workshops and certifications for professionals already in the field could increase the number of Indian websites that meet global accessibility standards.
Success Stories
Several Indian organizations have made notable strides in the field of web accessibility:
NCERT’s Accessible Textbooks: In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, NCERT has made textbooks accessible for students with visual impairments by converting them into Braille and audio formats, along with creating accessible PDFs that comply with WCAG standards.
State Bank of India (SBI): As one of India’s largest banks, SBI has taken steps to make its website accessible, ensuring that visually impaired users can access banking services online via screen readers.
IRCTC: The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) revamped its ticket booking platform to improve accessibility for users with disabilities. This includes better screen reader support, keyboard navigation, and an overall accessible design for its millions of daily users.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Web Accessibility in India
As we look to the future, the significance of web accessibility will only endure to grow and cannot be understated. With the rising influence of e-commerce, online education, and government e-services, ensuring that websites are accessible to all users becomes a social and moral responsibility.
Moving forward, India will need:
Stronger Enforcement: Regulatory bodies must actively monitor and penalize non-compliant organizations, especially in the private sector.
Increased Awareness Campaigns: Raising awareness among web developers and businesses about the benefits of accessibility.
Tech Innovation: Encourage the development of Indian-language assistive technologies that support web accessibility.
Business can enhance digital accessibility by follow some key practical strategies as below
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By prioritizing the above-mentioned areas, India can stimulate a digital environment where every individual, irrespective of their abilities, can involve fully. The realization of true web accessibility will support the development of a more unbiased and integrative society.
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Conclusion: A Path Towards Inclusive Growth
Web accessibility is crucial in ensuring that India’s digital future is inclusive for all. With the right policies, technological advancements, and increased awareness, India can set an example of how a developing country can make its digital spaces accessible to millions of users with disabilities. As India continues its journey toward becoming a digital-first nation, ensuring accessibility for everyone, regardless of ability, will be key to building an inclusive and equitable society.
By focusing on accessibility today, we pave the way for a truly Sugamya Bharat—an accessible India for everyone!
Remember accessibility is not a one-time- solution or project and not just a legal requirement; it should be a continuing process fostering continuous enhancement, inclusivity and commitment. By following the best practical strategies and WCAG guidelines, Fortune 500 companies and enterprises can guarantee that they are on the right path to realize accessibility excellence.
Calsoft, being a technology-first partner, understands the importance of creating a meaningful design that captures the attention of customers realizing positive and memorable user experiences.
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