In Kerala, help for a disabled child comes from three offices. Your local body (grama panchayat, municipality or corporation) runs the disability pension, the Social Justice Department runs scholarships and aids that you apply for on its Suneethi portal, and the Kerala Social Security Mission (KSSM) runs the Aswasakiranam caregiver scheme and the state's early intervention and autism centres.
As of November 2026, the state's Sevana Pension portal lists the disability pension at Rs 2,000 a month, with no age limit, for families with an annual income up to Rs 1 lakh and a disability of more than 40%. Get the disability certificate and UDID first, apply for the pension at your local body, then use Suneethi for school support.
How disability support works in Kerala
The Social Justice Department is the nodal department, with a District Social Justice Officer in every district. Its Suneethi portal takes online applications for 31 services, 14 of them for persons with disabilities. Applying from your own phone or computer is free; an Akshaya centre or other service centre may charge its service fee.
Pensions are different. Since decentralisation, grama panchayats, municipalities and corporations receive, sanction and pay social security pensions, including the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension. The Sevana scheme page says an application should be decided within 45 days, and payment starts from the first of the month after you apply.
KSSM's State Initiative on Disabilities runs the services many parents use alongside private therapy: Regional Early Intervention Centres at the Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Thrissur and Kozhikode medical college hospitals, autism centres in six government medical colleges and at IMHANS Kozhikode, and 25 mobile intervention units that bring therapists to rural blocks. Its toll-free helpdesk is 1800 120 1001. KSRTC also lists a travel concession for differently abled passengers; ask at your depot about the current rules and card.
Almost every scheme asks for a certificate showing a benchmark disability. Under Section 2(r) of the RPwD Act 2016, that means at least 40% of a specified disability, as certified by the certifying authority. Some schemes set a higher bar, so read each one.
Central schemes that apply in Kerala too
- UDID card: apply on swavlambancard.gov.in; DEPwD lists the fee as nil. Our UDID guide walks through it.
- ADIP aids and appliances: full subsidy for monthly family income up to Rs 22,500 and 50% for Rs 22,501 to Rs 30,000, through implementing agencies or the ARJUN portal (adip.depwd.gov.in). ALIMCO helpline: 1800 180 5129.
- Scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal: pre-matric (Class 9 and 10) and post-matric (Class 11 onward) for students with 40% or more disability and family income up to Rs 2.5 lakh a year.
- Niramaya health insurance from the National Trust: see our Niramaya walkthrough.
- Income tax deductions for parents: see tax benefits for parents.
- Railway concession for some disabilities: see railway concession for children.
Kerala disability schemes for children at a glance
Figures below are from the Sevana Pension portal, the Suneethi criteria page and the Government of India's myScheme listings, as of November 2026. Several Suneethi rates and income limits come from older government orders, so confirm before you plan around them.
| Scheme | Who it is for | What it gives | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disability pension (Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme) | Disability over 40%, no age limit, family income up to Rs 1 lakh a year | Rs 2,000 a month (portal table, from 1 November 2025) | Secretary of your grama panchayat, municipality or corporation |
| Aswasakiranam (KSSM) | Family caregiver of a person who is bedridden or cannot manage daily activities without help, including autism, cerebral palsy and intellectual disability; BPL families | A monthly allowance for the caregiver | KSSM; forms on socialsecuritymission.gov.in |
| Scholarship for Differently Abled Students | Class 1 to PG, 40% or more disability, at least 40% marks the previous year; income limit listed as Rs 36,000 a year | Rs 300 a month (Class 1 to 4) rising to Rs 1,000 (degree, PG) for day scholars, plus reader's allowance | Suneethi, through the head of the institution |
| Vidyajyothi | Students from Class 9 to PG with 40% or more disability | Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000 for study materials; Rs 1,500 for uniform up to Plus Two, ITI or polytechnic; limited seats per district | Suneethi |
| Assistive devices scheme | 40% or more disability, family income up to Rs 1 lakh, medical board confirms the child can use the device | Devices such as CP wheelchairs, smartphones with screen readers and Daisy players | Suneethi or District Social Justice Office |
| Niramaya (state pays premium) | Autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities | Health cover up to Rs 1 lakh a year; Suneethi says Kerala pays the premium | Suneethi |
Notes on the bigger schemes
Pension: the portal's criteria list no age limit, an income cap of Rs 1 lakh, and either a medical certificate of disability or the identity card issued by KSSM. So a six-year-old like Ananya can qualify if the family meets the income rule.
Vidyajyothi: the Suneethi criteria page says in one line that no income limit applies and in another that income must not exceed Rs 1 lakh. Ask your District Social Justice Office which rule they are applying this year.
Distress Relief Fund: Rs 5,000 a year towards treatment, including surgery, for families under a very low income ceiling. Worth asking about if your child needs an operation.
Schemes for parents and caregivers
- Swasraya: one-time Rs 35,000 for self-employment to BPL single mothers (widowed, divorced, separated or abandoned) caring for a child with 70% or more disability.
- Snehayanam: a free electric autorickshaw for BPL widowed, divorced or abandoned mothers of persons covered by the National Trust Act, aged 55 or below, with a three-wheeler licence. Only a few beneficiaries per district.
- Legal guardianship: for a child with autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability or multiple disabilities turning 18, the guardianship application is also on Suneethi. Read guardianship vs supported decision making first.
How to apply in Kerala, step by step
- Get the certificate and UDID. Register on swavlambancard.gov.in, choose the assessing hospital and attend the medical board. Our disability certificate guide and certificate timeline tool show what to expect.
- Get the income certificate from your Village Office early. It is the document that holds up most files.
- Apply for the pension to the Secretary of your local body in the prescribed form (forms are on the Sevana Pension portal). Note the date and keep the receipt.
- Register once on Suneethi with your name, email and mobile number, verify the OTP, then use Citizen Login to fill in personal, contact, identity and bank details. Eligible schemes then appear in the menu.
- Get school certificates signed. Scholarships and Vidyajyothi need a certificate from the head of the institution; Suneethi provides the formats. The scholarship should be applied for within three months of the academic year starting.
- Ask KSSM about Aswasakiranam on 1800 120 1001 if your child needs a full-time caregiver, and download the current form from its website.
- Keep up annual mustering (verification) once the pension starts. Social security pensioners are asked to complete it every year, so note the deadline your local body announces.
Documents to keep ready
- Disability certificate from the medical board, or UDID card (keep several attested copies)
- KSSM disability identity card, if your child received one at a certification camp
- Aadhaar of the child and the applying parent
- Ration card (BPL card for BPL-only schemes) and income certificate from the Village Officer
- Proof of permanent residence in Kerala
- Bank passbook copy for the account that will receive payments
- Passport-size photos
- Head of institution certificate and last year's marks list for education schemes
When an application gets stuck
If your local body rejects the pension, the Sevana scheme page says you can appeal to the District Collector within 30 days of the rejection notice. For Suneethi schemes, the portal names the Director, Social Justice Department, Vikas Bhavan, PMG, Thiruvananthapuram 695033 for complaints.
If you disagree with the disability percentage, Section 59 of the RPwD Act lets you appeal to the appellate authority the state has designated; ask the hospital for its name in writing. If a school, office or service denies your child's rights, write to the State Commissionerate for Persons with Disabilities, Anjaneya, T.C. 9/1023(1), Sasthamangalam, Thiruvananthapuram 695010 (0471 2720977, scpwdkerala@gmail.com). Under Section 80, the State Commissioner can inquire into deprivation of rights and take it up with the authorities. A petition format is on its website.
If you are a Kerala family living in Bangalore, Carely's therapists work with children at home in Bangalore across speech, occupational and behaviour therapy, and can help you put together therapy reports for these applications. Before you start the paperwork, run your child's details through our free disability benefits calculator to see which central and state benefits are worth chasing.
Comparing states? Read our guides for Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, West Bengal, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the disability pension in Kerala?
As of November 2026, the Sevana Pension portal lists Rs 2,000 a month for the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension, effective from 1 November 2025. It is paid by your local body. Amounts are revised by government order, so check the portal or your panchayat office for the current figure.
Can a child get the disability pension in Kerala?
Yes. The portal's criteria list no age limit. The child needs a disability above 40%, the family income must be within Rs 1 lakh a year, and the other conditions on the portal (such as land and vehicle limits) must be met.
Which certificate do Kerala schemes accept?
Most schemes ask for a medical board certificate showing 40% or more; the pension also accepts the KSSM disability identity card. The State Commissionerate has posted an order on recognising the UDID card as a valid document for government benefits, so getting a UDID card is worth it.
Can I apply for Kerala disability schemes online?
Social Justice Department schemes such as the disability scholarship, Vidyajyothi, assistive devices, Niramaya and legal guardianship can be applied for on Suneethi. The pension application goes to your local body, and you can check payment status on the Sevana Pension portal.
Is there free therapy for disabled children in Kerala?
KSSM's Regional Early Intervention Centres, government medical college autism centres and mobile intervention units offer therapy and assessment. Call the KSSM helpdesk on 1800 120 1001 to find the nearest one.
Our certificate is from another state. Will it work in Kerala?
Section 58(3) of the RPwD Act says a disability certificate is valid across the country. State schemes still ask for Kerala residence, so you will need local residence proof and, for the pension, an application to the local body where you live permanently.