How children with disabilities are made to jump through hoops to access benefits

A Unique Disability Identity number, or UDID, is an official identity linked to a person’s disability. It matters because many public benefits and opportunities depend on proving disability through this system. Without the number, families can struggle to access support that is meant for disabled people.

The article lists several uses. A UDID number allows a disabled person to receive a monthly government pension of Rs 2,500 and buy subsidised assistive devices, including wheelchairs. It can also prove disability when someone seeks a job through disability quotas. Children can use it to secure admission to government schools offering subsidised and special education.

The system’s importance makes delays especially serious. Kumari is among 8.6 lakh people waiting for their cards, while more than 24,000 applications are pending in Delhi. The article shows that a document intended to connect families with support can itself become a major barrier when assessments and hospital appointments take years.

Children with autism, intellectual disability or cerebral palsy must complete detailed assessments before a UDID number can be generated. These assessments matter because doctors must document both the nature and extent of the child’s disability. The process is not usually completed in one visit.

For a child with autism, doctors assess reasoning, learning and problem-solving abilities. They also examine adaptive behaviour, including social skills and abilities needed for daily living. The child must additionally be screened for associated hearing, visual or locomotor impairments. Hospitals conduct these assessments across a series of sessions and issue separate appointments for each one.

Kumari’s experience shows how this system works in practice. She received five messages asking her to collect tokens or attend the hospital, but returned twice without an assessment because tokens ran out. Her cognitive functioning was eventually evaluated, while other assessments were scheduled for February 2027. This makes medical evaluation a lengthy administrative hurdle.

Waiting times vary sharply by disability type and location. Department data puts Delhi’s average time for receiving a UDID number at 218 days. That makes Delhi one of the five worst-performing states and union territories for delivery. The department has not set a deadline for issuing a card after an application is filed.

The delays are much longer for some children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Sangeeta Prajapati’s daughter, Om Kumari, applied in April 2025 and was still waiting when other assessments were scheduled for February 2027. One family interviewed by Scroll had waited six years for a child with intellectual disability. By contrast, seven children with locomotor disabilities received cards within six months.

The backlog is large nationally and in Delhi. About 8.6 lakh people across the country have applied and are waiting for their cards. More than 24,000 applications are pending in Delhi at different stages. These figures show that the average does not capture the most difficult cases, especially those requiring repeated specialist assessments.

A delayed UDID number can postpone access to several forms of public support. The number is used to obtain a Rs 2,500 monthly government pension, subsidised assistive devices and admission to government schools with special education. It also serves as proof of disability for jobs reserved under disability quotas. Without it, families may be unable to use these benefits when they need them.

The process can also impose heavy practical costs. Sangeeta Prajapati travelled 10 km from southeast Delhi to AIIMS with her daughter and stayed overnight at least five times. Tokens were distributed early in the morning on a first-come, first-served basis. Twice, she returned without Om being assessed because she could not obtain a token.

The delay therefore affects more than paperwork. Kumari had one assessment completed, but other assessments were pushed to February 2027, nearly 22 months after applying. Families must keep returning to hospitals while support remains out of reach. The article shows how administrative delay can deepen pressure on caregivers.

Children with neurodevelopmental disabilities often face longer delays because their assessments are broad and must be completed across several sessions. Autism, intellectual disability and cerebral palsy may require evaluation of thinking, learning, problem-solving, adaptive behaviour and daily living. Children may also need checks for hearing, vision and movement-related impairments.

Each assessment can require a separate hospital appointment and token. In Kumari’s case, doctors had evaluated cognitive functioning, but other assessments were not scheduled until February 2027. Mohammad Arif, who accompanied families to AIIMS and Safdarjung, linked the backlog to the long list of tests and too few specialist doctors. Tokens also run out, forcing families to return.

The contrast with locomotor disabilities is stark. Scroll reviewed seven cases in which children received cards within six months. A March 2025 parliamentary committee report also identified shortages of medical professionals and inadequate hospital infrastructure. It recommended specialised training for medical authorities to improve efficiency and reduce delays.

The Union government’s department of empowerment of persons with disabilities is responsible for the UDID project and publishes delivery data. The article names AIIMS in South Delhi and Safdarjung as major hospitals involved in assessments. Specialist doctors and other medical authorities evaluate applicants and issue the medical findings needed for disability certification and identity numbers.

The breakdown occurs during the assessment stage. Hospitals give separate appointments for different sessions, and tokens may be distributed early in the morning on a first-come, first-served basis. In Kumari’s case, her mother made repeated trips to AIIMS, sometimes staying overnight, but twice failed to get a token. Specialist doctors must assess several areas, including cognitive abilities, adaptive behaviour and associated impairments.

The article identifies structural causes. Mohammad Arif pointed to a long list of tests and too few specialists. A March 2025 standing committee report cited shortages of medical professionals and inadequate hospital infrastructure. The committee recommended specialised training to improve efficiency and reduce delays, but no delivery timeline has been set.

A disability certificate and identity number connect a person’s assessed disability to public programmes. The article describes the UDID number as proof of disability and a route to benefits. This matters because agencies, schools and employers need a recognised basis for providing support, reserved opportunities or adapted services.

The system can determine access to a Rs 2,500 monthly government pension and subsidised assistive devices such as wheelchairs. It can support admission to government schools, where disabled children may receive subsidised and special education through an adapted curriculum. It also serves as proof when people seek jobs under quotas for disabled people. These benefits depend on completing the assessment and identity process.

The article shows the consequences when that link fails. Kumari applied in April 2025 but faced repeated hospital visits and still awaited assessments scheduled for February 2027. Across India, 8.6 lakh applicants were waiting. Thus, a certificate and identity system can open public support, but delays can postpone every benefit tied to official recognition.