Swami Vivekananda Single Girl Child Fellowship for Research in Social Sciences 2026

The Gharaunda Scheme aims to set up group homes for adults with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, Read More... and Multiple Disabilities, offering them quality care and a secure living environment. Read less

Details

The 'Gharaunda' scheme, also known as the Group Home for Adults Scheme, is a crucial initiative by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. It focuses on establishing special centres, called Gharaunda Centres or Registered Organisations (ROs), to provide a safe and supportive living space for adults with disabilities.

What Is This Scheme?

Gharaunda is designed to offer lifelong care and maintain acceptable living standards for adults with disabilities covered under the National Trust Act. This includes ensuring they receive adequate, quality care and basic medical attention from professional doctors. The scheme encourages assisted living, promoting independence and dignity for individuals with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities.

Who Can Benefit From This Scheme?

The scheme is for adults who are 18 years or older and have one of the following disabilities: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, or Multiple Disabilities, as defined under the National Trust Act, 1999. It also provides support to Registered Organisations (ROs) that meet specific criteria to establish and run these group homes.

Why This Scheme Is Important

Gharaunda is vital for ensuring that persons with disabilities have a secure and dignified life. It aims to create the necessary infrastructure across the country for a sustainable care system, allowing individuals to live with independence and receive continuous support throughout their lives. This initiative also supports their families by providing peace of mind and occasional respite.

Objective

The Gharaunda Scheme aims to set up group homes for adults with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities, offering them quality care and a secure living environment.

Benefits

Financial Assistance

The financial assistance available under the scheme is as follows:

1. Fellowship @ ₹25,000/- per month for the Initial two years; @ ₹28,000/- per month for the remaining tenure.

2. Contingency @ ₹10,000/- per annum for initial two years; @ ₹20,500/- per annum for remaining tenure.

3. Escort Reader Assistance @ ₹2,000/- per month in case of PWD candidates.

Slots

The number of slots for the fellowship may be decided every year on the basis of eligible applications

complete in all respects, received through online mode.

Tenure

The tenure of the fellowship is for five years and will be effective from 1st April of the selection year or the actual date of joining under the fellowship in the University/College/Institute, whichever is later. Fellowship will be granted up to the date of submission of Ph.D. Thesis or 5 years of tenure whichever is earlier. No extension is permissible beyond the total period of five years, and the fellow ceases to be a UGC research fellow immediately after the expiry of the due date.

HRA

Suitable single-seated hostel accommodation may be provided to the candidates in the institutions. In such cases, the fellow is eligible to draw only hostel fees excluding mess, electricity, water charges, etc. A certificate to this effect is to be furnished through the Registrar/Director/Principal. HRA is not permissible for those candidates who are staying in Hostel accommodation.

In case of non-availability of hostel accommodation, the fellow may be provided with single accommodation by the host institution. In such cases, the rent paid by the fellow on an actual basis may be reimbursed subject to the ceiling of HRA as per Govt. of India norms.

If the fellow makes her own arrangements of accommodation, she may be entitled to draw HRA as per the categorization of cities by the Govt. of India.

Note:In all the above cases, the fellow will submit a relevant certificate (Annexure-VI) through the concerned University/College/Institute to the identified Agency for settling the claim.

Medical

No separate/fixed medical assistance is provided. However, the fellow may avail of the medical facilities available in the Universities/Colleges/Institutes.

Leave

1. Leave for a maximum period of 30 days in a year in addition to the public holidays that may be taken by the candidate. However, they are not entitled to any other vacation, such as summer, winter, and pooja vacations.

2. Maternity leave as per the Govt. of India norms issued from time to time would be available at full rates of the fellowship once during the tenure of their award.

3. Academic leave (without fellowship and other emoluments) shall be permissible only for one year throughout the tenure (for any kind of academic/teaching assignment/foreign visit in connection with research work). The period of leave without fellowship will be counted towards the tenure. Expenditure on foreign visits in connection to research work cannot be claimed by UGC

Note:All kinds of leave should be approved at the level of the University/College/Institute.

Sources and references

Guidelines

Eligibility Criteria

For the Person with Disability (PwD):

The PwD must be over 18 years of age.
The PwD must have one of the following disabilities as per the National Trust Act, 1999: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, or Multiple Disabilities.

For the Registered Organisation (RO):

The applicant organisation must be registered with the National Trust.
The organisation must hold a valid registration under the PwD Act 1995 at the time of applying.
The land for the group home must be owned by the RO or have a lease agreement of at least 10 years with an option for renewal.
The RO should possess at least 2 years of experience working with Persons with Disabilities (PwDs), with at least one year focused on the disabilities covered by the National Trust Act.
The RO must not have been blacklisted by the National Trust or any other Government organisation before submitting the application.

How To Apply

The application process involves two parts: enrolment of the PwD and enrolment of the Registered Organisation (RO).

For PwD Enrolment: Parents or legal guardians need to approach a Gharaunda Centre or a Registered Organisation. The centre will then conduct an assessment of the PwD with the help of a therapist or counsellor.

For RO Enrolment: Registered Organisations must fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit the required documents to the National Trust or the designated authority. Specific application forms and proposal details are needed.

For more information on centres, you can visit: https://thenationaltrust.gov.in/content/centre-sanctioned-list.php

Documents Required

For Enrolment of the PwD:

Completed Enrolment Form.
Birth Certificate or valid proof of Date of Birth of the PwD.
Disability Certificate.
For Lower Income Group (LIG) or Below Poverty Line (BPL) families: BPL Certificate or Income Certificate of the Parent or Guardian issued by the competent authority of the concerned State/Union Territory.
Identification proof of the parent or guardian.
Legal Guardian (LG) certificate, if the parents are not the legal guardians.
LG certificate, if the PwD is over 18 years of age and the parents are not the legal guardians.

For Enrolment of the Registered Organization (RO):

Documents proving fulfilment of all eligibility criteria.
Address Proof and Title Deed/Ownership Certificate/Lease Deed of the property.
Bank details (Account Number, Account Holder Name, Bank Name, Branch Name, and IFSC Code).
Registration Certificate of the RO under the PwD Act 1995, including the Date of Issue and Expiry Date.
A Self-Declaration by the RO detailing:

Existing facilities and infrastructure.
Current activities being undertaken.
Staff qualifications and experience.

A detailed Scheme Proposal including:

Staffing plan (Special educators, therapists, caregivers, support staff – for 2 months).
Infrastructure plan (Activity rooms, vocational rooms, recreation rooms, medical rooms, lodging, kitchen, office – for 1 month).
Disability provisions (Accessible premises, toilets, furniture, fixtures).

FAQ’s

What is the main goal of the Gharaunda scheme?

The primary objective of the Gharaunda scheme is to provide a secure, lifelong home and a minimum standard of quality care for individuals with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities.

Who is responsible for launching the Gharaunda scheme?

The Gharaunda scheme has been launched by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

Where can a Person with Disability (PwD) get help under this scheme?

Individuals with disabilities can access the benefits of the Gharaunda scheme through designated Gharaunda Centres or Registered Organisations (ROs).

Besides accommodation, what other advantages does the scheme offer?

The scheme also provides PwDs with opportunities for vocational and pre-vocational activities, along with support for further training.

How many PwDs can a Gharaunda Centre accommodate?

A standard Gharaunda centre is planned for a batch size of 20 PwDs. However, it can accommodate up to 30% more, meaning a maximum of 26 PwDs.

Can families of PwDs also benefit from this scheme?

Yes, the scheme indirectly benefits families by providing a reliable care system for their loved ones, allowing them some time to attend to other responsibilities.

What are the general age and disability criteria for beneficiaries?

Adult PwDs aged 18 years and above, who have Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, or Multiple Disabilities as per the National Trust Act, are eligible.

How does a PwD get enrolled at a Gharaunda Centre?

The parent or legal guardian of the PwD must visit the Gharaunda Centre with the PwD. The centre will then conduct an assessment, often with a therapist or counsellor, to determine suitability and needs.

What specific documents are needed for PwD enrolment?

For enrolment, you'll need: Enrolment form, PwD's birth certificate or DOB proof, disability certificate, ID proof of parent/guardian, and income/BPL certificate if applicable. A Legal Guardian certificate is also required if parents aren't the guardians or if the PwD is over 18 and parents aren't guardians.

Where can I find a list of approved Gharaunda centres?

You can find a list of sanctioned centres by visiting the following URL: https://thenationaltrust.gov.in/content/centre-sanctioned-list.php