In a groundbreaking move, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has mandated that all regulated financial entities - including banks, brokers, mutual funds, stock exchanges, and depositories - make their digital platforms fully accessible to persons with disabilities.
This initiative reflects India’s growing recognition that digital accessibility is a human right, reinforcing inclusivity in the financial ecosystem.
SEBI has extended the timelines for conducting digital accessibility audits and remediating audit findings to October 31, 2026. The extension does not change the other requirements under its earlier digital accessibility circulars.
Why does this matter?
Digital accessibility ensures that every user - regardless of ability - can navigate, understand, and interact with online content. For financial institutions, it’s not only a compliance requirement but a strategic opportunity to enhance customer trust and expand their audience.
The compliance framework
Under SEBI digital accessibility directive, organizations must ensure that their websites, mobile apps, and investor communication tools comply with:
- IS 17802 — India’s national standard for digital accessibility.
- WCAG 2.1 (or higher)— The global benchmark for web accessibility.
- GIGW 3.0— Guidelines for Indian government websites.
SEBI has outlined a phased compliance timeline, requiring submission of platform lists, appointment of certified accessibility auditors, completion of audits, and full remediation by mid-2026, followed by an annual accessibility audit.
Key Deadlines at a glance!
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Platform list & preliminary compliance report | September 30, 2025 |
| Appointment of IAAP-certified auditor | December 14, 2025 |
| Accessibility audit completion | October 31, 2026 |
| Issue remediation | July 31, 2026 |
| Annual audit & final compliance report | Beginning April 30, 2027, with reporting within 30 days after each financial year ends. |
Strengthened Reporting Mechanism
Now, each class of entity has a clearly defined reporting structure:
- Stock brokers and depository participants: Their respective stock exchanges or depositories.
- Investment advisers and research analysts: BSE Limited.
- Market infrastructure institutions and all other regulated entities: SEBI
This restructuring simplifies compliance oversight and enhances accountability.
Making Investor Communications Accessible
Financial entities must also ensure accessible investor documentation, including:
- Screen reader-friendly and accessible PDFs
- Closed captions and transcripts for multimedia
- Alternate content formats such as audio, ISL, or large print versions
This move ensures that all investors receive equal access to essential financial information.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Unresolved accessibility barriers can lead to investor complaints and regulatory scrutiny. Investors can report accessibility issues through SEBI’s SCORES platform, and regulated entities must remediate the reported issue to close the complaint. Organizations should maintain records of corrective actions and verify that fixes provide effective access. Accessibility is no longer optional - it’s a core compliance and ethical requirement.
What regulated entities should do now?
- Confirm platform coverage: List investor-facing websites, apps, portals, and digital content.
- Complete accessibility audits: Identify barriers across the listed platforms and key user journeys.
- Assign remediation owners: Give each finding a responsible team and a clear completion date.
- Retest fixes: Verify that corrected features work with assistive technologies.
- Prepare reporting evidence: Compile audit findings, remediation records, and validation results for the appropriate reporting authority.
How can Skynet Technologies help with SEBI digital accessibility?
SEBI digital accessibility is becoming an important consideration for financial institutions as India strengthens expectations around inclusive digital services. For regulated organizations, the focus should extend beyond a website’s appearance to the accessibility of portals, investor information, forms, documents, and other digital touchpoints used by customers and stakeholders.
A practical implementation can begin with an accessibility assessment to identify priority barriers, followed by remediation, validation, and periodic review. Organizations can also benefit from accessibility documentation and structured governance that helps teams track improvements over time and align their digital services with applicable WCAG, GIGW, and Indian accessibility requirements.
Prepare for SEBI’s October 31, 2026 accessibility deadline with support from us. Get help with accessibility audits, remediation, validation, VPAT report / ACR across investor-facing websites, documents, and other digital assets. Request a free quote to discuss your requirements.
