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FAQs

Q. What is the specific role of the Rehabilitation Council of India?

Ans. The Rehabilitation Council of India has been set up as a Statutory Body under an Act of Parliament and its specific role is to develop, standardize and regulate training programmes/ courses at various levels in the field of Rehabilitation and Special Education. It also maintains the Central Rehabilitation Register for qualified Professionals/ Personnel in the area of Rehabilitation and Special Education and promotes Research in Special Education.

Q. Is the approval of RCI necessary before starting any programme in the area of Rehabilitation & Special Education?

Ans. Yes, as per provisions of RCI Act, prior approval of RCI is a must for all universities/ institutions/ organisations - government and non-government, etc. to start any training course in the field of Rehabilitation & Special Education.

Q. What formalities have to be completed for seeking RCI recognition to start any training programme?

Ans. Prescribed norms for each training programme have to be fulfilled to be eligible to run a course, are as follows :

1. To obtain approval of Rehabilitation Council of India/ Govt. of India, the organization/ institute/ centre/ university desirous of starting the Master’s Degree/ Degree/ PG Diploma/ Diploma/ Certificate course should approach RCI, through the respective State Govt./ Union Territory to assess the infrastructural facilities before starting the course.
2. The competent authority of State Government/ Union Territory Administration must indicate in clear terms whether they are or not in favour of starting a College or institution managed by a non-governmental organization.
3. The institute should adopt the standards of staff, space and equipment, etc. as recommended by the Rehabilitation Council of India and give an undertaking for their phased implementation within the stipulated period.
4. The institute must submit in writing, the willingness of University/ Board who can grant affiliation, if the Rehabilitation Council of India permits the Master’s Degree/ Degree/ PG Diploma/ Diploma course to be started.
5. The institute must satisfy Rehabilitation Council of India about possessing enough training facilities to undertake the Master’s Degree/ Degree/ PG Diploma/ Diploma course.
6. The management must provide adequate facilities administrative and teaching staff required for Master’s Degree/ Degree/ PG Diploma/ Diploma courses as per the recommendation of the Council.
7. The management of the institute must submit a plan for the construction of full-fledged division and appoint competent personnel to man the same.

Q. Which are the categories of professionals covered under the RCI Act?

Ans. 16 Categories of Professionals/ Personnel have been covered under the RCI Act as given below.

1. Audiologists and Speech Therapists
2. Clinical Psychologists
3. Hearing and Ear Mould Technicians
4. Rehabilitation Engineers and Technicians
5. Special Teachers for Educating and Training the Handicapped
6. Vocational Counsellors, Employment Officers and Placement Officers
7. Multi-purpose Rehabilitation Therapists, Technicians
8. Speech Pathologists
9. Rehabilitation Psychologists
10. Rehabilitation Social Workers
11. Rehabilitation Practitioners in Mental Retardation
12. Orientation and Mobility Specialists
13. Community Based Rehabilitation Professionals
14. Rehabilitation Counsellors, Administrators
15. Prosthetists and Orthotists
16. Rehabilitation Workshop Managers

However, Professionals like Physiotherapists & Occupational Therapists are not covered under the RCI Act.

Q. What type of courses are being offered by RCI recognized institutions/ training centres?

Ans. Following type of courses are being offered by the RCI recognized institutions, list of which is published through newspapers every year in the month of March/ April :

1. Certificate Courses
2. Diploma Courses
3. PG Diploma Courses
4. Degree Courses
5. Post-graduate Degree Courses/ Master’s level courses
6. Short-term/ refresher courses under the Continuing Rehabilitation Education programme

Q. What is the procedure for admission to various courses?

Ans. Admission to various courses is done directly by the respective institutions as per prescribed norms of affiliated University/ College/ Institutions. The academic session starts every year sometime in May/ June and the process of admission starts in April every year. Therefore, for admission to any course the concerned institution may be contacted directly.

Q. What is the scope of these Courses for job career option?

Ans. All the courses have very good job opportunities in the Government sector like National Institutes, Hospitals, Rehabilitation Centres, etc., NGOs sector and private sector to practice as a qualified professional with bright future prospects.

Q. Which organization(s) is/ are to be contacted for admission into different programme?

Ans. Check the website for name of the institution & the training programme being conducted.

Q. Are admission forms of various courses recognised by the RCI, available in the RCI office?

Ans. No. Admission forms for any of the courses recognised by the RCI are not available in the RCI office. The Council does not deal with any matter related to admission to any course. For details regarding admissions etc. all concerned are requested to contact the RCI recognized institutions directly. The lists of courses and recognised institutions all over the country are available on the RCI website : www.rehabcouncil.org

Q. Does RCI collaborate with any individual for any rehabilitation programme?

Ans. No. RCI does not deal with rehabilitation services. Individual are free to give suggestion of improving the quality of educational programme.

Q. Does RCI deal with direct services to the Disabled?

Ans. No. The RCI is a regulatory body responsible for standardization of curriculum, research and development, training and manpower development, recognition of institutions offering various courses on rehabilitation of the disabled and registration of rehabilitation professionals/ personnel. It has nothing to do with any other kind of rehabilitation services like the rehabilitation of displaced persons due construction of a project or a dam, housing projects, earthquake, etc.

Q. Does RCI deal with rehabilitation of the disabled?

Ans. RCI trains master trainers, rehabilitation professionals and personnel for creating better service delivery facilities for the persons with disability. However, it does not offer any direct benefit, financial or material help to the persons with disability.

Q. Does RCI offer any employment facilities to the persons with disability?

Ans. No. RCI does not provide any help to the persons with disabilities for their employment. Nor does it perform any intermediary role between various organizations offering employment to the disabled. The Council is also not responsible to maintain any employment register or co-ordination with various special employment exchanges.

Q. Whom can one contact to avail rehabilitation services for any person with disability?

Ans. For any such kind of help, the individuals may contact the Ministry of Social Welfare or Ministry of Disability Welfare/ Commissioner of Disability in their respective states or the Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi-110 001.

Q. In case of any grievance of any kind relating to persons with disability, where can one seek redress?

Ans. The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, provides for seeking of redressal of grievances by the office of the State Commissioner of Disability or Chief Commissioner of Disabilities, Govt. of India.

Q. Does RCI facilitate any training to persons not possessing any recognized rehabilitation qualification?

Ans. Yes. The RCI is facilitating a National Bridge Course through a network of selected institutions (list given on RCI website), for persons not possessing any recognized rehabilitation qualification who have been working in the field of disability and rehabilitation of the disabled before June 1993, i.e. before the RCI came into the existence. Such persons must be 10th pass or above qualification and must produce conclusive proof of working in the field of disability and rehabilitation of the disabled prior to June 1993, in order to be trained under the Bridge Course. All persons trained under the Bridge Course are registered by the Council as Rehabilitation Personnel.

Q. Is there any training programme beng conducted by the RCI in the Health Sector?

Ans. Yes. The RCI has launched a National Programme on Orientation of Medical Officers Working in Primary Health Centres since July 1999. This has been done with the prime objective of creating awareness and sensitization in the rural areas for creating better service facilities in the much-neglected rural areas of the country. So far around 8000 Medical Officers have been trained under this programme and 21,000 more are to be trained in the next one and year.

Q. Whom can one contact in case of any difficulty in the process of registration of rehabilitation professionals/ personnel?

Ans. All concerned are requested to contact the Member Secretary, Rehabilitation Council of India, B-22, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016 in case of the above mentioned difficulty. The contact numbers of RCI are :
Tele : 011 - 26532408, 26534287
Fax : 26534291
E-mail : rehabstd@nde.vsnl.net.in; rehabstd@ndc.vsnl.net.in.

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