SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) will host the Research Symposium on Disability Inclusion 2026 on 21–22 January 2026 at the Mukesh Patel Auditorium, NMIMS Mumbai. The symposium will be organised by SVKM’s NMIMS School of Business Management (SBM) in collaboration with the Sarla Anil Modi School of Economics (SAMSOE), with support from the Mirae Asset Foundation, Mumbai.
Anchored around the theme “Discussing, Promoting, and Advancing Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities,” the two-day research symposium aims to advance evidence-based dialogue and actionable pathways to strengthen disability inclusion across systems, institutions, and the life cycle. The symposium will be held alongside the Disability Inclusion Conclave 2026, reinforcing NMIMS’ commitment to socially relevant research and inclusive development.
Disability inclusion, as the symposium highlights, is not a one-time intervention but a continuous and evolving process. A life-cycle approach—spanning early education, skill development, employment, independent living, and care in older age—is critical to building equitable and inclusive societies. Recognising this complexity, the symposium adopts a multidisciplinary lens, bringing together perspectives from health, education, economics, public policy, law, design, technology, and corporate practice.
The Research Symposium on Disability Inclusion 2026 will convene academics, researchers, practitioners, corporates, policymakers, and civil society organisations from across the country to foster meaningful dialogue, share empirical evidence, and co-create solutions that promote accessibility, dignity, and social justice for persons with disabilities.
Key Focus Areas
The symposium will feature research and discussions across a wide range of thematic areas, including:
1. Healthcare and Rehabilitation, covering early detection, prevention, rehabilitation services, community-based models, and integrated mental health and neurodevelopmental care.
2. Education and Skill Development, with emphasis on inclusive pedagogy, universal learning design, teacher training, accessible resources, vocational skills, and career readiness.
3. Built Environment and Assistive Technology, focusing on universal design in infrastructure, transport, housing, and public spaces, as well as human-centred and scalable assistive technologies.
4. Social Protection and Quality of Life, addressing labour market participation, social protection frameworks, RPwD–SDG–ESG linkages, and measurement of mobility, independence, and well-being.
5. Workplace Inclusion and Corporate Responsibility, including inclusive hiring, reasonable accommodations, leadership development, mentorship, and ESG-aligned corporate reporting.
6. Legal Rights and Accountability, examining the RPwD Act, UNCRPD, labour laws, grievance redressal mechanisms, and ethical and accountability frameworks.
7. Social Inclusion and Community Support, focusing on stigma, intersectionality, gendered dimensions of disability, care burden, community interventions, and media representation.
8. Aging and Disability, covering healthy aging, disability onset in later life, long-term care systems, geriatric rehabilitation, and caregiver support.
Digital Inclusion and Smart Technologies, highlighting AI/ML-enabled accessibility tools, digital literacy, inclusive digital platforms, and smart city solutions.
Call for Papers
NMIMS invites researchers, practitioners, and organisations to submit research papers, policy notes, extended abstracts, case studies, and practice-based insights aligned with the symposium themes. The themes are indicative, and submissions on additional relevant topics are encouraged.
Last date for submission: 02 January 2026
Communication of acceptance: 05 January 2026
Last date for full paper submission: 15 January 2026
Research Symposium Dates : 21-22 January 2026
Submissions should be sent to : esg_conclave2026@nmims.edu
Authors of selected papers will receive travel reimbursement equivalent to a 2nd-class AC train fare via the shortest route. Selected papers will also be considered for publication in an edited volume by Taylor & Francis, India, offering contributors a prestigious academic dissemination platform.
Leadership and Governance
The symposium is convened by Dr. Subramania Raju Rajasulochana (School of Business Management) and Dr. Mohd Imran Khan (Sarla Anil Modi School of Economics), supported by an interdisciplinary organising committee comprising faculty members from NMIMS’ schools of management, economics, technology, law, liberal arts, architecture, and distance education.
The advisory committee includes Prof. Veena Vohra, Dean, School of Business Management, and Prof. Amita Vaidya, Director, Sarla Anil Modi School of Economics. The symposium is held under the patronage of Prof. Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, SVKM’s NMIMS (Deemed-to-be University), and Prof. Meena Galliara, Director, Jasani Center for Social Entrepreneurship & Sustainability Management.
For further information, please contact:
📧 esg_conclave2026@nmims.edu
📞 022 4235 5555 / 5777 / 5999
