Norms & Guidelines

Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) Guidelines

(Effective from 1st April 2023)

RCI (Rehabilitation Council of India) is responsible for development, standardization, and monitoring of training programmes in the field of disability rehabilitation and special education. Registration with the Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) of RCI is mandatory for working in the field of disability. After registration, it is the additional responsibility of RCI to ensure that professionals/personnel in these fields continuously update and upgrade their knowledge and skills, for which Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) programmes are organized. The objectives of CRE programmes and the rules/guidelines for their conduct are as follows:

Objectives

1. To upgrade the knowledge and skills of in-service and practicing rehabilitation professionals/personnel registered with RCI under Section 19 of the RCI Act, 1992.
2. To update the professional knowledge and skills of master trainers working in the field of disability rehabilitation and special education.

Methodology of CRE Programme

1. Online Mode: The technology platform shall be provided by RCI. All participants must pre-register before commencement of the webinar and log in using mobile OTP verification through their registered CRR mobile number. Resource person(s) shall be arranged by the institution. The institution must provide subject-wise Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) (@ 4 questions per hour) from resource persons at least two days before the scheduled programme, which shall be programmed by RCI before the webinar starts and displayed to participants at random intervals. All participants must answer these questions online within a short time to ensure attendance and attentiveness. Immediately after the webinar, an evaluation paper will be displayed online. To earn CRE credits, participants must secure 70% or above. Based on correct answers, they will be declared pass/fail, and accordingly CRE credits shall be generated and added to the RCI database, viewable on the participant’s registration dashboard on the RCI portal. RCI reserves the right to record all proceedings of online CREs, capture random images during CRE sessions, and disseminate the recorded programme on electronic and social media. Each online lecture shall generally comprise a 45-minute lecture and 15 minutes of participant interaction. RCI shall also independently organize CRE online programmes and may collaborate with National Institutes/CRCs/RCs or any other agencies for conducting CRE programmes.
2. Offline Mode: At local/district level, institutions shall organize CRE programmes preferably in their campus or in special/inclusive schools or colleges. High-quality resource persons shall be engaged. Each participant shall be evaluated appropriately by resource persons, on the basis of which CRE credits will be awarded. Question sessions shall be MCQ-based and not restricted to PPT presentations. Participants must score at least 70% to earn CRE credits. RCI may provide a mobile application for participants to submit answers. RCI shall also organize offline CRE programmes independently and may collaborate with National Institutes/CRCs/RCs or any other agencies for the same.
3. Experiential Mode: (On pilot basis only through RCI) In addition to classroom training, actual experiential learning through participation/survey in research institutes, hospitals, manufacturing units, early intervention centres, anganwadis, educational institutions, Government schemes such as ADIP/UDID, Skills, DDRS, etc. shall be promoted. Field-level work and risk involvement on assistive technology, allied issues, and schemes of Central/State Governments shall also be counted for CRE credits.

Eligibility Conditions for Institutions/Organizations

1. RCI-approved training institutions with valid RCI approval.
2. National level professional organizations and/or reputed organizations working for empowerment of persons with disabilities with minimum 3 years of experience and valid registration as Society/Trust/Company.
3. National Institutes/CRCs/RCs shall generally not collaborate with any other institutions for CRE programmes and will conduct CREs only in their own premises. Each NI/CRC/RC must submit its application directly on the RCI website following all CRE rules.
4. For CRE status for online/offline/experiential programmes, proposals must be submitted on the RCI website at least 30 days in advance.
5. ICT requirements for Online Mode (compulsorily on RCI webinar platform):
   1. Ensuring adequate internet connectivity at both institution and participant level.
   2. Provision of proper camera, speaker, microphone-enabled desktop/laptop for each speaker with proper lighting and noise-free background.
   3. Ensuring accessibility/adaptation facilities for participants with disabilities.
   4. If sign language interpreter is required, the organizing institution shall arrange it.
   5. Institution shall ensure technical support for resource persons, if required.

General Guidelines

1. CRE programme topics shall be selected from subjects listed in the CRE form on the RCI website. Institutions may also propose other subjects with justification, e.g.:
   1. Recent developments in disability, legislative provisions like UNCRPD, RPwD Act 2016, RCI Act 1992, National Trust Act 1999, RTE Act 2007, schemes of DEPwD (Barrier-free Guidelines 2021, SIPDA, UDID, ADIP, NHFDC, DDRS, DDRC etc.), NEP 2020, National Credit Framework, employability skills, UGC guidelines on online education, court judgments, notifications of DoSEL, UGC, NCTE, NCERT, AICTE, NCVET etc., and awareness on POCSO Act 2012.
   2. Emerging areas like Artificial Intelligence in disability, innovative pedagogy, best practices in teaching/clinics, training on assistive devices, employment, entrepreneurship, R&D, factory visits (min. 4 hours), institutional visits (National Institutes/CRCs/DDRS/DDRC/foreign institutions), online interactions with foreign experts (min. 2 hours).
2. RCI-approved institutions may ordinarily conduct max. 04 CRE programmes per financial year (2 online + 2 offline) subject to timely report submission and positive feedback. DEPwD National Institutes/CRCs may conduct more.
3. CRE credits shall be awarded at 1 credit per hour. Offline CRE: min. 1 hour to max. 18 hours (max. 6 hours per day, up to 3 days). Online CRE: 1 to 4 hours.
4. Selection of Resource Persons:
   1. Institutions shall ensure resource persons are experts with proven records. For online, they must be proficient in technology.
   2. Experts outside RCI purview may also be invited without CRR number.
   3. NGOs must ensure at least 50% resource persons are from RCI recognized institutions/universities with valid CRR number.

• These limits shall not apply to programmes organized directly by RCI.
• For experiential/field visit CRE programmes, maximum 25 participants are allowed. RCI may relax this on case-to-case basis.

5. Participants must apply online through RCI website for all modes of CRE before commencement. Post commencement, no registration shall be permitted. Walk-in participants must ensure registration before start.
6. Fee Structure

• RCI shall not charge any fee for approval of CRE status nor share any portion of fee collected by institutions from participants.

7. Any dispute arising from quality of CRE shall be responsibility of the organizing institution. RCI shall not be legally responsible.

Post-CRE Reporting

1. For Online Mode: Report, PPTs and study material must be uploaded by institution.
2. For Offline Mode: Report, PPTs, group photographs, videos, attendance sheets, evaluation sheets must be uploaded during and immediately after programme.
3. CRE credits shall be awarded to participants only after successful submission of reports by the institution. Certificates shall be available for online download for participants and resource persons. Institution must submit timely reports and ensure CRE credits are reflected in participants’ accounts within 2 working days. Failure to comply shall disqualify institution from organizing CREs for 1 year.

CRE Credits Required for Renewal of Registration

1. 1. Total 100 CRE credits must be accumulated within 5 years for renewal. Out of these, maximum 50 credits can be from online/webinars. Credits shall be earned as per table below.
   2. Each registered professional/personnel/resource person must earn minimum 10 and maximum 50 credits per year. More than 50 may be attended, but only 50 shall be credited; certificates will be issued for additional credits.
   3. For renewal, minimum 30 out of 100 CRE credits must be earned as participants in online/offline/experiential programmes, Govt. schemes participation, etc. not solely through being resource persons, paper presentations, or higher education. Effective from renewals due 1 Jan 2024.
   4. Professionals eligible for CRR registration must register within 6 months of completion of approved course.
   5. All registered professionals must renew registration every 5 years.
   6. Higher qualifications (RCI approved) shall be counted for renewal.

CRE Credits

RCI registered professionals/personnel may earn credits by participating in RCI-approved CREs, rehabilitation education activities, publications etc. as follows:

Pre-CRE: RCI shall award Pre-CRE credits (max. 10 per year) to students pursuing RCI-approved training programmes for participation in online/offline/experiential CREs. These credits will be added to their account once they obtain CRR number after completion of studies. No fee shall be charged for programmes organized directly by RCI.