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Inclusive Planning and Universal Design

By Prof. Haimanti Banerji   |   IIT Kharagpur
Learners enrolled: 1310   |  Exam registration: 117
ABOUT THE COURSE:

The subject acknowledges the fact that universal access to public area is a norm today and exposes the students of Architecture and City Planning to the various aspects of Inclusive Design. Highlighting the holistic nature of the term barrier, the subject attempts to sensitize the students towards creation of a universally accessible and psycho-physiologically stimulating environment. The lectures will mention the global and Indian principles of Universal Design, Norms, Standards and Guidelines citing suitable examples from real life projects and best practices.
The content of the subject will build on the fundamental concepts of disability inclusion, global good practices, and mainstreaming disability in built environment and will systematically explain the steps for designing and constructing accessible built environment professionally.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: UG students including all B.Arch, B. tech (Civil) and B.Plan, PG students (M.Plan)

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: All Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities, Municipal Corporations, Development Authorities), CPWD, National Institute of Urban Affairs, Govt. of India,
Summary
Course Status : Upcoming
Course Type : Core
Language for course content : English
Duration : 4 weeks
Category :
  • Architecture and Planning
  • Urban Planning Building Services
Credit Points : 1
Level : Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date : 18 Aug 2025
End Date : 12 Sep 2025
Enrollment Ends : 18 Aug 2025
Exam Registration Ends : 29 Aug 2025
Exam Date : 02 Nov 2025 IST
NCrF Level   : 4.5 — 8.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

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Course layout

Week 1: Background or need for Universal Planning and Design - a rising concern

  • Definition of vulnerable population (people with disabilities, elderly, women, LGBTQ and children). References to be drawn from Census of India and RPWD Act 2016 along with UN definitions.
  • Global and national statistics on vulnerable groups along with their socio-economic profiling – their special needs and aspirations.
  • Identification of different categories of barriers -physical, psychological, social and institutional.
  • Levels of Access - Reasonable Accommodation,Visitable, Barrier-free and Universal Design.

Theories,Principles, Policies and Models on Universal Planning and Design

  • Changing approaches towards disability – Medical model and Social model
  • International Classification of Impairment, Disability and Handicapped
  • International Classification of Functioning
  • 7 Principles of Universal Design
  • 5 Universal Design India Principles (UDIP)

Week 2: Global and National Guidelines on Universal Planning and Design

  • Time-line of development of Universal Planning and Design standards in India and world
  • RPWD Act (2016)
  • Accessible India Campaign (2015)
  • Concept of Human Right and Right to the city
  • UNCRPD and LNOB

Week 3: Global and National Guidelines on Universal Design of Built Environment

  • Norms and standards for barrier free design -Introduction to Harmonized Guidelines 2021
  • Universal Design consideration for internal and external environment at building and precinct level for new design and retrofitting
  • Access audit- approach and methodology; Simulation exercise

Week 4: Global and National Guidelines on Universal Urban Planning

  • Holistic understanding of multiple aspects of inclusive urban planning in all sectors like housing, physical and social infrastructure, outdoor environment, urban mobility and public transport,digitalization, governance, public participation, livelihood, recreation & tourism
  • Inclusive City Framework (ICF) –a toolkit for creating safe, accessible and inclusive Indian cities - including a checklist for Strategic Accessibility Audit, which Urban Local Bodies and other relevant agencies can follow for mainstreaming inclusion into the process of urban planning, development, management and financing. 

Books and references

  1. Harmonised Guidelines & Standardsfor Universal Accessibility in India. 2021, MoHUA, Govt. of India 
  2. Inclusive City Framework, 2023, © NIUA and IIT Kharagpur, published by NIUABednar, M.J., Barrier Free Environments. 
  3. Harkness, S., Building without Barriers for the Disabled. 
  4. Oliver, M. 1996. Understanding disability: From theory to practice. Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan

Instructor bio

Prof. Haimanti Banerji

IIT Kharagpur
Dr. Haimanti Banerji, is a Professor in the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning and the Associate Dean of Continuing Education and Outreach at IIT Kharagpur. She is the Deputy Team Leader of the Centre of Excellence in Urban Planning and Design in IIT Kharagpur established by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Govt. of India.

She has more than 20 years of working experience with the vulnerable groups in urban Indian context. She is one of the authors of Universal Design India Principles © NID, 2011. Her recent contribution towards mainstreaming inclusion in the domain of urban planning and development is the Inclusive City Framework and revision of URDPFI guidelines, and preparation of online courses for professional along with UN-Habitat and NIUA.

Dr. Banerji is also actively involved in the Global Housing Technology Challenge (GHTC), an initiative by Govt. of India to provide ‘Housing for All’ in various capacities. Her recent international academic collaborations include Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania and MIT, USA.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.
The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Date and Time of Exams: November 02, 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.
Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 3 assignments out of the total 4 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Kharagpur .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team


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