Swarajability, India’s first AI-based job portal, was launched to provide job opportunities for persons with disabilities. The platform (Web and App) aids people with vision, hearing, and mobility disabilities in seeking employment.
Principal Scientific Adviser to the government of India, Prof K Vijay Raghavan, had soft-launched (beta-version) Swarajability on February 3.
While IIT-Hyderabad provided expertise for the AI component, Visual Quest India is the developer, and Youth4Jobs offered its experience in skilling, disability, and job linkages. Kotak Mahindra Bank funds the project.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016 has emphasized the rights of a person with a disability (PWD) to education and employment. There are about 21 million persons with disabilities in the country. About 70 percent of them are estimated as either unemployed or underemployed.
Though the legislation provides an avenue for persons with disabilities to get skilled and linked to jobs, one significant challenge persons with disabilities face is most of the existing job platforms being inaccessible and not customised to their needs.
The customised job platform is named “Swarajability” as it offers independence to persons with disabilities. The effort using cutting-edge technology allows persons with disabilities from all walks of life to join and explore job opportunities.
Youth are given training that is tailored to their skills and knowledge. It is a one-stop-shop for organisations that hire persons with disabilities. Also, it supports NGOs, educational institutions, and governments in their efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, IIT-H said in a statement.
