Accessibility Compliance
IS 17802 Explained: India's Accessibility Standard
IS 17802 is published by the Bureau of Indian Standards as India's own national accessibility standard - and since the RPwD (Amendment) Rules, 2023, conformance to it is a statutory requirement, not voluntary guidance. This guide explains what it actually contains, how it relates to WCAG, and what evidence regulators expect.
What IS 17802 is, in two parts
Part 1 covers web content accessibility; Part 2 covers non-web ICT - software, hardware, kiosks and self-service terminals. It's built on, and largely aligned with, WCAG, but published as India's own standard with India-specific additions.
How it became legally enforceable
Before the RPwD (Amendment) Rules, 2023, IS 17802 existed but compliance with it was essentially voluntary. The amendment changed that, making it the statutory technical reference standard for digital accessibility obligations in India.
Where it adds to WCAG
- Regional-language support requirements specific to the Indian context
- Considerations for Indian assistive-technology usage patterns
- Coverage of non-web ICT (kiosks, ATMs, government self-service terminals) that WCAG, as a web-only standard, doesn't address at all
Who must conform
All entities offering ICT products or services to the public in India - government and private alike.
What the CCPD looks for
- Documented evidence, not just a conformance claim
- Real assistive-technology testing records
- A remediation plan for identified gaps
- A working route for users to report accessibility barriers
Need help with this in practice?
A5 Cyber Nexus audits, remediates and certifies against these frameworks.
Frequently asked questions
If we're already WCAG 2.2 AA conformant, are we automatically IS 17802 compliant?
Mostly, for the web-content part - but IS 17802 adds India-specific criteria, and if you have non-web ICT (kiosks, apps with no web component), WCAG alone won't cover Part 2 at all.
Has the CCPD actually taken enforcement action?
Yes - the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has acted against non-compliant organizations under the RPwD Act, of which IS 17802 is now the technical reference standard.
Make it accessible.
Make it attack-ready.
Prove both before launch.
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