Source review: 15 October 2026 · Central Government grant-in-aid · FY 2026–27 intake open when checked.
The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities’ official grant portal explicitly invites online DDRS proposals for 2026–27. The Deendayal Divyangjan Rehabilitation Scheme supports eligible organisations delivering disability rehabilitation services. It is an existing scheme with a current-year intake—not a newly announced unrestricted NGO grant.
The important distinction: a new DDRS case is a project that has never received DDRS grant-in-aid. It does not mean a newly registered NGO automatically qualifies. Organisation-age, registration, project-model and delivery requirements still apply.
DDRS 2026–27: current status and deadline
| Department | Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Central Sector grant-in-aid for eligible rehabilitation projects |
| Geography | India-wide, subject to the scheme and project requirements |
| Current invitation | The official portal lists DDRS proposal submission for FY 2026–27 as open |
| Opening date | Not published in the reviewed portal announcement |
| Closing date | No separate current-year closing date or time was confirmed in the reviewed announcement |
| Application route | DEPwD e-Anudaan portal |
The department’s DDRS FAQ allows submission until the end of the financial year or an earlier notified date. Do not interpret this as a guaranteed 31 March 2027 deadline or an unconditional year-round application route. Recheck the portal before submitting and allow time for district and state processing.
Which NGOs can apply for DDRS?
The department’s scheme overview identifies registered societies, public charitable trusts and Section 8 companies among the eligible organisations. The FAQ requires at least two years of registration and appropriate governance, experience, facilities and financial capacity.
The revised guidelines also require a DARPAN unique ID and valid registration under the applicable disability legislation. Registration must cover the application period. An NGO incorporation certificate alone is therefore insufficient.
Check these conditions against the actual applicant organisation, not a proposed partner’s credentials. Keep certificate names, addresses and validity dates consistent across the application. An expired registration should be resolved openly rather than described as valid because renewal has been requested.
What projects does DDRS support?
The official overview covers early intervention, therapy and counselling, special schools, rehabilitation of leprosy-cured persons and psychosocial rehabilitation, among other prescribed models. The full guidelines contain the model-specific service, staffing, infrastructure and beneficiary provisions.
Select the project model before drafting the budget. A general health camp, mainstream school or older-person care programme should not be described as a DDRS rehabilitation project without satisfying the relevant model. Write a short service map: who will receive which service, where, how often, through which qualified role, and what record will show delivery.
How much funding can an NGO receive?
DDRS does not provide one universal grant amount. Under paragraph 8 of the revised guidelines effective 1 October 2024, approved projects ordinarily receive 90% of the amount calculated under scheme cost norms, with 10% from the implementing agency. Projects in specified special areas may receive 100% of the norm-calculated amount. The special-area list includes the eight North-Eastern states.
For NGOs in Nagaland: this special-area provision is relevant, but it is not a promise to reimburse every rupee of actual expenditure. The applicable norms, project approval and admissibility checks still control.
Illustration: approved norms are not the same as your total spending
Suppose an illustrative project costs ₹12 lakh, but only ₹10 lakh is admissible under the applicable norms. At the ordinary 90% share, the grant calculation would be ₹9 lakh, leaving ₹3 lakh to finance elsewhere. At 100% of the norm-calculated amount, it would be ₹10 lakh, leaving ₹2 lakh. These figures illustrate the distinction; they are not a DDRS quotation or sanction estimate.
Build the budget from the selected model and beneficiary/service assumptions. For each line, show quantity, period, unit rate, applicable norm and the source covering any difference. Avoid funding the same expenditure twice. Our project budget guide provides a working structure.
Documents and records to organise
The revised guidelines’ annexures contain the prescribed forms and stage-specific checklists. Prepare registration and governance evidence, staff and beneficiary schedules, premises information, the project budget, relevant annual reports and audited accounts. Existing grantees must address earlier grant utilisation and the documents required for the requested instalment. Use the official annexures, not an unrelated generic format.
| File group | What to verify internally |
|---|---|
| Legal identity | Applicant name, registration number, DARPAN details, validity and authorised signatory agree across records |
| Project and premises | The address, service model, available space and proposed capacity describe the same operating project |
| Staff | Roles in the proposal match the staffing schedule, qualifications, availability and cost calculation |
| Beneficiaries | Counts and service assumptions reconcile with the prescribed records; sensitive documents have controlled access |
| Finance | Application year, reporting periods, project accounts, organisation accounts and budget totals are not mixed |
| Prior grants | Previous sanctions, utilisation, unspent balances and outstanding clarifications are traceable |
This table is a working review aid, not an exhaustive mandatory-upload list. Follow the current portal checklist for your case and instalment. Collect only the information needed for the official purpose, protect sensitive disability and identity records, and do not place complete beneficiary case files in a public proposal attachment.
How to apply through the DEPwD portal
- Identify the correct DDRS model and decide whether the project is a new or ongoing case.
- Check registrations, DARPAN details, project evidence and the current portal notice.
- Open the official DEPwD grant portal. Use the organisation’s registration/login route and select the correct scheme and financial year.
- Complete the requested project, manpower, beneficiary and infrastructure details. Upload the prescribed documents for the applicable stage.
- Review the final application, submit it and preserve the application number, uploaded files and acknowledgement.
- Track inspection, state recommendation and departmental queries. Record each clarification and the response supplied.
The department’s FAQ describes district inspection followed by state scrutiny and recommendation. New cases also go through the department’s Screening Committee. A submitted form is therefore the start of appraisal, not confirmation of funding. Our e-Anudaan guide explains how to organise application records and follow-up.
Common preparation errors to avoid
Do not mix the organisation’s registration age with a project’s funding history. Do not calculate a request from the grant amount you would like and then invent activities to fill it. Do not use different beneficiary counts in the staffing sheet and budget. Do not leave a query unanswered because another officer or team member was expected to respond.
A simple application log is enough: date, application reference, current stage, query, responsible person, response deadline and evidence of completion. Review it regularly with the programme and finance teams. Keep an operational cash-flow plan separate from the hoped-for grant schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Is this invitation only for renewals?
No. The portal invitation is not labelled ongoing-only, and the scheme separately provides for new cases. First-time DDRS projects must still meet the eligibility and screening conditions.
Is NGO DARPAN registration sufficient?
No. It is one credential alongside the organisation, disability-registration and project-specific conditions.
Can I treat the special-area rule as full reimbursement?
No. It concerns the norm-calculated admissible amount, not an unlimited share of actual spending.
Is FCRA or CSR-1 the application route?
No. This is a Government of India grant-in-aid application through DEPwD. Do not confuse it with foreign contribution or a company’s CSR partner selection; use the scheme’s own checklist.
Next step: select the model, check the credentials and create a document-gap list before preparing the online application. View the DDRS directory entry, DARPAN preparation guidance and our grant application checklist.
Source basis: the official FY 2026–27 portal announcement, department overview, FAQ and revised guidelines were reviewed on 15 October 2026. Later notifications control. This article is independent preparation guidance, not a government eligibility certificate, legal opinion or assurance of grant sanction.