Navigating India’s Digital Accessibility Mandates: A Publisher’s Guide

According to the 2011 Census over 26.8 crore (268 million) people live with some form of disability in India. This number represents more than 20% of the global population who are living with disabilities. With the government taking deep interest in digital inclusivity, publishers and content creators must work towards making their digital assets comply with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD), 2016 as well as other related accessibility standards. 

It must be borne in mind that failure to meet these requirements might result in lost contracts, restricted market access, and other legal repercussions, especially as representatives serving the government agencies and public institutions. 

Why Digital Accessibility Cannot Be Ignored in 2025 

As one of the largest economy, India’s digital ecosystem relies heavily on inclusive access. The RPwD Act makes it mandatory for the government bodies to ensure that digital content published or procured by government bodies must conform to accessibility standards that align with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. This inclusive mandate ensures that websites, multimedia, and documents are easily accessed by people with auditory, visual, motor, and/or cognitive impairments. 

In 2024, when the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) introduced the new guidelines, they brought in vendors and publishers supplying educational materials, eBooks, reports, etc. under the ambit of this guideline. Publishing firms serving educational boards, public institutions, government research organisations were now required to ensure that all digital content met the prescribed accessibility standards, failing which their materials could be disqualified from adoption or distribution. 

Non fulfilment of obligations could result in exclusion from acquiring government tenders or contracts. This may happen because government agencies require proof of digital accessibility before approving content for public use.  

But publishers must understand that acting in accordance with accessibility act is not just about avoiding punishments. Adopting the act translates to being closer to millions of users who rely on assistive technologies like keyboard navigation, speech recognition software, or screen readers to access and interact with digital content on a regular basis. Moreover, accessible content is search engine optimization (SEO) and answer engine optimisation (AEO) friendly. Barrier-free content makes it easier for search engines and voice assistants to index, discover, and share wide range of knowledge materials to a larger and relevant audience. 

Key Accessibility Features Publishers Must Implement 

To meet the requirements for WCAG 2.1 Level AA, publishers must include specific features into their digital materials: 

•  Digital content must be structured in a manner where screen readers interpret and vocalise it accurately. Some of these compatibility requirements may include semantic lists or tagging of headings. 

• Content can easily be navigated using the keyboard alone for the ease of those users who find it difficult to use a computer-mouse. 

• Visual content must carry descriptive alt-text that accurately describes the image. 

• Background colours and text must carry adequate contrast to ensure users with visual impairments do not face any challenge. 

• Contents like videos, audio recordings, or other multimedia formats must carry captions or transcripts enable those struggling with hearing impairments. 

• All forms of content should be presented in a sequence that logically makes sense to both assistive technologies and users. 

Turning a blind eye to these aspects may lead to digital content being inaccessible and alienating the target audience. 

Is your content truly accessible? Get a quick accessibility assessment from S4Carlisle today. Email us at sales@s4carlisle.com. 

Challenges for Publishers and How to Overcome Them 

In the context of Indian publishing scenario, many publishers merely circulate images of texts and share it as PDFs or scanned documents. But these do not comply with accessibility standards because of their inaccurate format and improper tagging. Hence the publishing firms must consider transitioning to tagged PDFs or ePub and other accessible formats through technical adjustments and editorial interventions.  

The publishing teams must figure out if their digital content is  

• usable without a computer mouse  

• tagged for assistive devices – especially complex features like tables and charts 

• coherent and logical  

• alt-text compatible especially those with non-text elements  

Addressing these questions early will make publishing workflow easy and compliant with law. 

The Business Case for Accessibility 

Adapting to accessibility needs a shift in mindset where publishers need to understand that such compliance means  

• Expansion of customer base that includes users with disabilities and geriatric population. 

• Improved SEO rankings as accessible content is search-engine friendly. 

• Enhanced user experience and increased engagement. 

• Aligned with international standards, making digital content global market favourable. 

Furthermore, several reports and articles suggest accessible content increase audience engagement which has a direct and positive impact on revenue and reputation of publishing firms. 

Using Technology to Simplify Accessibility Compliance 

Armed with emerging technologies and AI-driven tools most publishers can automate content management systems and accelerate workflows significantly.   But technology alone will not suffice. Human involvement is crucial. Only a cognitive presence can ensure compliance and accuracy across various platforms and formats. 

Where S4Carlisle Comes In  

At S4Carlisle, we support and guide publishers navigate through the complex landscape of accessibility compliance. We offer: 

• In-depth digital accessibility assessments to identify crisis and barriers 

• Strategic integration of semantic tags, alt-text, metadata aligned with global standards 

• Skilled reformatting of outdated digital assets to WCAG-compliant formats 

• Meticulous evaluation through multiple assistive technology platforms to validate compliance 

• Integrated project planning and delivery aligned with procurement deadlines 

S4Carlisle’s editorial and tech expertise ensures your content effectively aligns with RPwD, GIGW, and WCAG standards - saving you time and risk. 

Final Thoughts: Accessibility as a Strategic Advantage 

In India, digital accessibility is a business imperative and not just a legal formality. By choosing to opt for adopting accessibility standards publishers project themselves as compliant, inclusive, and progressive minds.

Contact sales@s4carlisle.com today to make your digital content accessible, discoverable and purpose driven.