Celebrating Dyslexia Awareness Month, 2026

Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) is an umbrella term that indicates a number of difficulties faced by a person that may affect the acquisition, organisation, retention, understanding, cognition or use of verbal or nonverbal information. Typically, children with learning disabilities experience difficulty coping with schoolwork despite their best efforts. SLD may interfere with one or more of the following:

1. Expression in oral language (e.g. listening, speaking, understanding, etc.);
2. Reading (e.g. decoding, phonetic knowledge, word recognition, comprehension, etc.);
3. Written language (e.g. spelling and written expression, etc.);
4. Mathematics (e.g. number estimation, computation, problem solving, etc.);
5. Organization (e.g. sorting, categorization etc.); and
6. Social skills (e.g. communication, collaboration, etc.).

One of the common manifestations of Specific Learning Disability is Dyslexia. It is characterised by difficulties faced by persons with dyslexia in reading, writing, vocabulary, poor spelling and decoding skills, issues with precise and/or fluent word identification, and tasks that require hand-eye coordination. It is the result of a specific difficulty in processing phonological information. People with dyslexia may struggle with recognising and decoding letters, which can lead to difficulties in connecting sounds to written words. However, it is crucial to understand that dyslexia does not indicate a lack of intelligence or potential. Many individuals with dyslexia possess unique strengths and can thrive academically and lead successful, fulfilling lives.

Despite this, a lack of awareness about SLD, including Dyslexia, often results in children not being screened or identified at an early stage. Creating awareness about SLD, including dyslexia, is therefore essential among students, teachers, parents, school leaders, teacher educators, special educators, and other stakeholders.

October is observed as Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dyslexia Awareness Month was first recognised in the United States in 1985 as Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, following a proclamation by President Ronald Reagan. In the United Kingdom, an organised movement to promote dyslexia awareness began later, in 2002. This provides an opportunity to strengthen awareness and understanding of Specific Learning Disabilities, with a particular focus on Dyslexia.

The Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET)-NCERT is conducting the following activities to celebrate Dyslexia Awareness Month in October 2026.

a. Social Media Awareness Campaign on SLD

A month-long social media awareness campaign is being undertaken to promote awareness and understanding of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), including dyslexia. Explore engaging quizzes, discover practical classroom strategies, and learn more about Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). The campaign is being disseminated through NCERT's official social media handles throughout October.

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter (X)
• WhatsApp

b. Interactive Live Sessions on “Language- and Numeracy-Friendly SLD Classrooms”

Five-day interactive live sessions are scheduled from 19 to 23 October 2026 on “Language- and Numeracy-Friendly SLD Classrooms.” The sessions will focus on practical strategies to support learners with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) in Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Numeracy (LSRWN) to make classrooms language- and numeracy-friendly.

Platforms to watch the live sessions: The training sessions will be telecast live on DTH TV channels for Classes 1 to 12 under PM eVIDYA and ISL Channel Number 31, with a simulcast on the following YouTube channels from 12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

• NCERT Official
• NCERT Events
• PM eVIDYA ISL 31

The sessions will be bilingual (Hindi and English), accompanied by an Indian Sign Language Interpreter.

Programme Schedule

Note: No meeting link will be provided for attending the sessions. If you miss the live sessions, the session recordings will be available in the archive of the PM eVidya ISL 31 YouTube channel mentioned above.

c.   Webinar “Certification Process for Students with SLD”

A webinar is scheduled on 30th October 2026 (Friday), from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., with States and Union Territories Inclusive Education (IE) Coordinators to understand the procedures involved in the certification of students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). The webinar will also provide an opportunity to discuss the challenges faced by parents, teachers, & other stakeholders during the certification process and to understand the relevant procedures, documentation, and available support mechanisms.

Platforms to watch the webinar live: Watch live on the following platforms:

• NCERT Official YouTube Channel
• NCERT Events YouTube Channel

Note: No meeting link will be provided for attending the webinar. If you miss the live, the webinar recording will be available in the archive of the YouTube channels mentioned above.

d.   SLD Course on DIKSHA

An online course on Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) will be launched on the DIKSHA platform on 31st October 2026. The course will enhance awareness and understanding of SLD, equip teachers and other stakeholders with practical strategies to identify learning needs, provide appropriate support, and foster inclusive and supportive classroom environments for learners with SLD.

Objectives: The above activities are organised with the following objectives:

• Enhance awareness and understanding of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), with a focus on Dyslexia.
• Strengthen capacity for early identification, assessment, certification, and appropriate support for learners with SLD.
• Promote inclusive pedagogical practices and classroom strategies for learners with SLD.
• Develop and disseminate an online SLD course through DIKSHA for teachers and other stakeholders.
• Leverage Dyslexia Awareness Month to promote informed and inclusive practices for learners with SLD.

How to register and get a certificate

Participants who wish to obtain a certificate, equivalent to 8 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD)/ 0.5 credit points, must enroll in the DIKSHA course using the course link (The course will be updated on 31st October, 2026). Please follow the steps provided below or refer to the DIKSHA Enrollment Guidelines.

Step 1: Access DIKSHA

● Mobile: Download the DIKSHA App and the DIKSHA Courses App.

● Desktop/Laptop: Open the DIKSHA website: https://diksha.gov.in/index.html

Step 2: Register on DIKSHA

Register on the DIKSHA App and complete your profile. If you are already registered, you may skip this step.

Step 3: Access the Course

● Mobile: Open the DIKSHA Courses App and click on the Courses tab at the bottom-right corner.

● Desktop/Laptop: Open the DIKSHA website and click on the Courses tab on the home page.

Step 4: Enrol in the course

Use the DIKSHA course link (will be shared on 31st October, 2026) and enrol.

Step 5: Complete the Course

Complete all five modules of the course.

Step 6: Attempt the Final Assessment

Take the final assessment. Participants must score 70% or above marks to be eligible for the certificate.

Step 7: Download the Certificate

Participants who complete all the course requirements will receive a digital certificate. The certificate will be available in their DIKSHA profile.

Support

● For Certificate-related queries, click "Raise a Query", available in the top-left menu of your DIKSHA profile.

● For Live Interactive Series-related queries: Email dai.ie@ciet.nic.in.

Organising Team

• Programme Advisory:
  Prof. Amarendra P Behera, Joint Director, CIET, NCERT, New Delhi
• Programme Coordinator:
  Prof. Bharti Kaushik, Head MPD, CIET-NCERT, New Delhi
• Academic support:
  Dr Ram Niwas, Senior Consultant, CIET, NCERT, New Delhi
  Ms.Bhawna, Academic Consultant, CIET, NCERT, New Delhi
  Dr. Anchal, Academic Consultant, CIET, NCERT, New Delhi
  Dr. Dipendra Pathak, Academic Consultant, CIET, NCERT, New Delhi