Court: Delhi High
Court
Bench: Justice Jasmeet Singh
Case No.: W.P.(C) 5390 of 2022
Case Title: Jayant Singh Raghav v. University of Delhi & Ors.
Date of Judgment: 25 February 2026
The petition before
the Delhi High Court concerned the accessibility of higher education institutions and the obligations of universities to ensure that students with
disabilities are able to participate fully in academic programmes. The petitioner, a student with disability studying at the Campus Law Centre,
Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, approached the Court alleging that certain administrative and institutional practices of the University of Delhi created
barriers that hindered the effective participation of students with disabilities.
The petitioner contended that despite the statutory obligations imposed by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, several academic processes—including access to facilities, academic support mechanisms and institutional
procedures—had not been adequately designed to accommodate students with disabilities. As a result, students were often required to navigate inaccessible infrastructure and inflexible administrative procedures.
The petition therefore raised broader concerns regarding the responsibility of universities
to implement accessibility measures and to create inclusive educational environments consistent with the objectives of the RPwD Act.
Key Observations
The Delhi High Court emphasised that educational institutions bear a crucial responsibility in ensuring that students with disabilities are able to access and benefit from academic opportunities on an equal basis. Universities must therefore adopt institutional practices that actively promote inclusion rather than inadvertently creating barriers.
The Court observed that the RPwD Act requires educational institutions to provide reasonable accommodation, accessible infrastructure and appropriate academic support mechanisms. These obligations extend beyond physical accessibility and include ensuring that academic procedures, examination systems and administrative processes are designed in a manner that enables participation by students with disabilities.
The Court further noted that universities, as public institutions performing an important social function, must act in a manner consistent with constitutional values of equality and dignity. Failure to implement accessibility measures within educational institutions undermines the purpose of disability rights legislation and restricts the ability of students with disabilities to realise
their full academic potential.
Importantly, the Court highlighted that inclusive education is not merely a policy aspiration but a statutory requirement under the RPwD Act.
Directions Issued
• The Court directed the University of Delhi to review the accessibility measures implemented at the Campus Law Centre and ensure compliance with obligations under the RPwD Act.
• Authorities were instructed to adopt appropriate measures to provide reasonable accommodation and necessary support mechanisms for students with disabilities.
• The University was directed to ensure that infrastructural and administrative arrangements remain accessible and responsive to the needs of students with disabilities.
The judgment underscores the central role that educational institutions play in advancing disability rights. Access to higher education is often a critical pathway for social mobility, professional development and economic independence. When universities fail to create inclusive environments, the consequences extend far beyond individual students and affect broader efforts to achieve equality in society.
Historically, higher education institutions have been slow to adapt their structures to the needs of students with disabilities. Inaccessible buildings, inflexible examination systems and limited academic support services have often created barriers that prevent students from fully participating in university life.
By emphasising the statutory obligations imposed by the RPwD Act, the Delhi High Court reaffirmed that universities must move beyond symbolic commitments to inclusion.
Accessibility must be integrated into the design of institutional policies, infrastructure and academic practices.
The decision
therefore contributes to the broader development of disability rights jurisprudence in India by highlighting that inclusive education is essential to
achieving meaningful equality. Universities must act not merely as providers of education but as institutions committed to ensuring that all
students—regardless of disability—are able to participate and succeed within the academic community.
Bench: Justice Jasmeet Singh
Case No.: W.P.(C) 5390 of 2022
Case Title: Jayant Singh Raghav v. University of Delhi & Ors.
Date of Judgment: 25 February 2026
• Authorities were instructed to adopt appropriate measures to provide reasonable accommodation and necessary support mechanisms for students with disabilities.
• The University was directed to ensure that infrastructural and administrative arrangements remain accessible and responsive to the needs of students with disabilities.
Read the judgement [PDF 28 KB]