India Web Accessibility (RPwD Act 2016 and GIGW)
India's web accessibility duties come from the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act), which obligates both government and private service providers to make ICT - including websites and mobile apps - accessible. The technical benchmarks are the Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW 3.0, aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA) for the public sector and BIS standard IS 17802 (harmonized with EN 301 549) for ICT products and services. In November 2024 the Supreme Court of India, in Rajive Raturi v. Union of India, held that accessibility standards must be mandatory rather than advisory and directed the government to frame binding rules - making Indian digital accessibility enforcement a live, tightening obligation rather than a recommendation.
What is RPwD Act & GIGW (India)?
The RPwD Act, 2016 is India's comprehensive disability-rights law, replacing the 1995 Act and implementing the UN CRPD. Sections 40-46 cover accessibility: the government notifies standards (RPwD Rules 2017, Rule 15 points ICT accessibility at the GIGW and associated standards), establishments must comply, and existing infrastructure and services were given time-bound windows to conform. For websites this means GIGW conformance for government bodies - GIGW 3.0 (2023) is explicitly WCAG 2.1 AA-aligned and certified through STQC - and IS 17802 (the BIS standard harmonized with EN 301 549) as the reference for ICT products and services generally. The 2024 Supreme Court ruling found the existing self-regulatory posture inadequate and ordered mandatory minimum standards, signaling stronger enforcement ahead.
Who must comply?
Government ministries, departments and public bodies (GIGW conformance, STQC certification for central government sites); 'establishments' under the RPwD Act - which includes private companies providing goods, services or facilities to the public; and ICT product and service providers measured against IS 17802. Practically, any organization serving Indian users - banks, e-commerce, education, transport, healthcare - carries accessibility duties, and government-facing vendors are contractually bound to GIGW.
Key requirements
- Government websites and apps: conform to GIGW 3.0 (WCAG 2.1 Level AA-aligned) and obtain STQC certification where required.
- ICT products and services: meet IS 17802 (Parts 1-2), the BIS standard harmonized with EN 301 549.
- Service providers must ensure persons with disabilities can access services provided to the public, under the RPwD Act's accessibility and non-discrimination duties.
- Respect the time-bound compliance windows set by the RPwD Rules for existing services, and track the mandatory standards ordered by the Supreme Court in 2024.
- Public procurement increasingly requires accessibility conformance as a contract condition.
Key dates & deadlines
Penalties & enforcement
Section 89 of the RPwD Act penalizes contraventions: a fine of up to INR 10,000 for a first offense and INR 50,000 to 500,000 for subsequent offenses. The Chief Commissioner and State Commissioners for Persons with Disabilities take complaints and can direct corrective action; courts entertain writ petitions - the route that produced the 2024 Supreme Court accessibility judgment. Government sites failing GIGW risk losing certification and procurement eligibility.
How RPwD Act & GIGW (India) relates to WCAG
GIGW 3.0 is expressly aligned with WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and IS 17802 is harmonized with EN 301 549 - whose web requirements are WCAG-based. Building to WCAG 2.2 AA therefore satisfies India's technical baselines with headroom for the mandatory standards now being framed after the Supreme Court's 2024 ruling.
How EqualWeb helps you meet RPwD Act & GIGW (India)
EqualWeb audits against WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA - the baseline GIGW 3.0 and IS 17802 build on - combines AI remediation with certified-expert fixes, monitors continuously, and produces the conformance documentation that GIGW certification, procurement and RPwD Act compliance reviews ask for.
RPwD Act & GIGW (India) - frequently asked questions
Is website accessibility legally required in India?
Does the RPwD Act apply to private companies?
What standard do Indian government websites follow?
What changed with the 2024 Supreme Court judgment?
Official sources & further reading
Related standards & laws
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