---
title: "Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 — Definition"
description: "The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 is India's law recognizing 21 disabilities and ensuring reservations, impacting millions of lives."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-act-2016"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 is an Indian statute that recognizes 21 disabilities, mandates reservations, and gives effect to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- How many disabilities does the RPwD Act, 2016 recognize, and how does this compare to the 1995 Act?
- What reservation percentages does the Act mandate in education and employment?
- What is a 'person with benchmark disability' under the Act?
- Which international treaty does the RPwD Act implement?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 is an Indian statute that recognizes 21 disabilities, mandates reservations, and gives effect to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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## Timeline

1. 27 December 2016

   The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act) is the central legislation governing disability rights in India, enacted by Parliament on and b…

2. 19 April 2017

   The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act) is the central legislation governing disability rights in India, enacted by Parliament on 27 Dec…

3. 30 March 2007

   The 2016 Act gives domestic effect to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which India signed on and ratified…

4. 1 October 2007

   The 2016 Act gives domestic effect to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which India signed on 30 March 2007…

5. 3 December 2015

   Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and other states have framed their own rules under the Act, and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)…

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Example

In Vikash Kumar v. UPSC (2021), the Supreme Court of India invoked the RPwD Act, 2016 to direct that a UPSC candidate with dysgraphia be provided a scribe, holding reasonable accommodation a substantive right.

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