New Delhi: Children’s Day 2025: In any typical school, the corridors pulse with a familiar rhythm – footsteps echoing, laughter bouncing off walls, students darting between classrooms with half-zipped bags and hurried greetings. Clusters of chatter bloom near staff rooms, and the air feels electric with curiosity and youthful chaos. It’s a scene that plays out daily, almost like a ritual.
But just beyond this everyday hum, tucked quietly into the green folds of Delhi, lie two different kinds of institutions– Higashi Autism School (HAS) and India Autism Centre (IAC). Here, the corridors don’t buzz with noise, but every step, every glance, every interaction is like a carefully choreographed dance.
During our visit to the school that is based in Vasant Kunj, we met a student who refuses to wear undergarments at home but puts them on the moment he enters school – his day doesn’t begin until that sensory need is met. Another child waits for his mother in clothes of blue and yellow; any deviation from this palette means resistance and a delay in going home.For autistic students, the day begins not with bells and bustle, but with structure, calm, and reassurance. Their world is layered with sensory sensitivities, emotional nuances, and coping mechanisms that often go unnoticed in mainstream narratives.The Higashi School, with a day-boarding setup, has 35 teachers supporting 38 autistic children aged 4 to 12, each with unique needs – from physical challenges to sensory sensitivities.
Teaching here goes far beyond academics. Educators act as emotional anchors, often decoding what even parents can’t – sleep patterns, toilet habits, learning rhythms, and therapy responses. They rely not just on observation, but on intuition, attuned to the subtle cues that define each child’s world.
On the other hand, IAC’s Residential Facility Samavesh, located near Sirakol, Kolkata, aims to provide holistic care to the students with neurodevelopmental issues. Each student benefits from one-on-one interaction with teachers, supported by dedicated primary caregivers and support staff for both children and adults on the spectrum. The Centre offers a structured environment that includes group activities, personalised therapy sessions, and regular healthcare consultations.
Tailored Special Education for Unique Needs
In Higashi, the school integrates National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) models to offer flexible, personalised learning tailored to each student’s cognitive needs. Uniforms aren’t mandatory, and a one-teacher-per-student system ensures focused support. Admissions for students with autism and related conditions involve medical reviews and assessments.
IAC has a specialised way for teaching students; the Centre will inaugurate the residential facility – Samavesh in 2026, and as of now, is working on its modalities. At IAC, autistic students also undergo speech and occupational therapies, but they are adding some new therapies for students, like animal-assisted therapies, behaviour therapy, play therapy, and music therapy.
“Poultry is also therapeutic, which is on par with nature. We are keeping all kinds of non-conventional and conventional therapies at par with Western standards,” said Dr Puja Dutta, senior mentor, IAC.
When asked what kind of qualities they look for in a candidate, Dr Dutta said, “It depends on training as well as the personal value system of the candidate. Apart from education and RCI registration, special educators need patience and sensitivity; human values and feelings cannot be accredited. We take interviews and do some psychometric assessments to know the candidate better.”
Priyank, 24, an autistic graduate from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), now works at the Higashi school, providing support to students and offering tech assistance. His parents are academics.
On the other hand, the IAC is working with Deloitte, Amazon and DePWD to hire and raise awareness for autistic adults. “Abroad, MNCs do hire employees with neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD; however, in India, the participation is low,” said Dr Dutta. At the IAC, an autistic student, Anamitro, is working as a resident artist. He’s also responsible for working on all kinds of merchandise at the Centre.
Digital Initiatives
In Higashi, autistic students often face challenges in verbal and written communication. Tools like the Awaz app – featuring pictures, text, and voice output – help bridge this gap alongside speech therapy. The use of such applications is allowed with the consent of the parents. Riyansh, a student, uses it effectively. Beyond Awaz, students also explore Canva, AI models, and online platforms to enhance writing and creativity.
Apart from digital advancement, IAC builds vocational skills like cooking, arts and craft, music, dancing, cake making, and tabla, among autistic kids and adults. “We do have some courses like data entry, gift making, and some autonomous courses, depending upon the availability of the special teachers. And if the person is a high support, but still has an interest, we try to provide those vocational opportunities as well,” said Dr Dutta.
Skill Building for Autistic Learners
Speech, motor, and sports training programmes play a vital role in supporting the development of autistic students. Both IAC and Higashi school have facilities for various sports like gymnastics, skating, rugby, agility activities, football, cricket, running, walking, and cycling, among others.
“We assess and target these students based on their issues, like some will have lowered motor abilities, others will have balancing issues, and some will do heel or toe walk. So, according to those issues, we plan and decide what a kid should do. Our target is to make them learn everything, but in the beginning, we focus on those areas that are not developed,” said Abhay Singh, Head, sports department, HAS.
Many autistic students struggle to express physical discomfort, often continuing activities despite pain or fatigue – even when needing a toilet break.
These communication and sensory challenges also influence puberty education, which is tailored to each student’s age and cognitive level. For example, one girl received a specialised module to understand menstruation, body privacy, and safe vs unsafe touch.
Suhrid Das stands as a powerful example of how fine arts can offer relaxation and unlock new possibilities for autistic students. Despite struggling to hold a sketch pen due to motor challenges, Suhrid Das creates beautiful paintings with ease when using a brush.
In the image, the two students have been attending the school for the past two years. Through consistent training sessions, they have become fully independent and are now able to participate in games without assistance. He has participated in and won a few painting competitions. (Image: Special Arrangement)
Autistic children often face social exclusion due to their behavioural differences and communication challenges, leading to situations where they are rarely invited to birthday parties or social functions.
“At Higashi, we celebrate Children’s Day and each child’s birthday to foster a sense of inclusion and make them feel special. While autistic children may not fully grasp emotions like excitement or joy in the conventional sense, sharing photos and videos of these celebrations with their families brings happiness and reassurance to them,” said a teacher.
While students at IAC participate in a kitchen takeover and a sit-down supper, where autistic children step into a real restaurant kitchen and cook and serve dishes.
Dr Rashmi Das notes that autism education is quasi-medical, requiring individualised health and education plans – something mainstream schools aren’t equipped to provide beyond early intervention. She’s observed reverse migration, with students moving from mainstream to autism-specific schools.
A parent, whose son has mild autistic disorder, said that earlier her son was studying in a mainstream school; however, they were getting the same facilities as offered to a typical student, but were charged extra for even regular transportation.
“He was in the same class, using the same van also, but we were charged Rs 2,000 more for transportation. The fees of the school were Rs 58,000, and we were paying Rs 60,000. The mainstream school just wants to tick the empty boxes in the name of inclusive education, but does not provide any care or guidance in accordance with the needs of an autistic kid,” said the mother, who wished not to be named.
In contrast, Dr Om Sai Ramesh V, Professor of Psychiatry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, claimed that autistic students should be integrated with mainstream schools with the idea of making education inclusive. “Schools cannot reject the application of people with disabilities. Most of the schools, at least in the government sector, are doing this. They have special educators and counsellors who give guidance and extra care to the students,” said the doctor.
While Dr Dutta chose a middle path, claiming that inclusion is possible, but it depends on the severity of the child’s condition. “Children with mild to moderate autism, especially with early intervention, can thrive in inclusive schools, or a blended approach can work. However, for children needing high support, inclusive schools alone may not provide structured learning. They benefit from social interaction, but skill development requires specialised input,” she said.
