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PRIMERS T H E M A T IC S Education Gender Legal Philanthropy Technology Funders' Playbook : For Supporting AI Adoption by Non-profits in India The playbook equips funders to enable mission-driven, context-sensitive, and responsible AI adoption. It outlines key risks, opportunities, and actionable approaches funders can take to strengthen non-profits’ capacity for AI-led innovation. READ MORE Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2025: A Primer for non-profits A primer guiding NPO leaders to prepare for compliance with India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2025. READ MORE Compliance Calendar: 2025-2026 Comprehensive compliance calendar for non-profit organizations for various statutory filings for the financial year 2025-2026. READ MORE Primer for Non-profit Organisations on the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 A primer to guide NPOs in understanding and complying with the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961. READ MORE Fair Working Conditions for Platform Gig Workers in India A primer scoping out legal rights and fair working conditions for gig workers in India. READ MORE Manual on Legal Rights for Female Sex Workers in India A primer guiding trainers in community based organisations to build capacity on rights and law pertaining to female sex workers in India. READ MORE Mitigating Legal and Ethical Risks for non-profits in use of AI A primer to equip NPO leaders with implementable strategies to mitigate legal and ethical risks from using AI. READ MORE Digital Data Protection & Consent Protocols for Persons with Disabilities A primer scoping out data protection practices pertaining to persons with disability across nine countries including United States, Australia, Singapore, United Kingdom and India in the wake of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. READ MORE Manual on Legal Rights of LGBTQIA Persons in India A primer guiding trainers in community based organisations to build capacity on legal rights of the LGBTQIA + community in India. READ MORE Regulatory Landscape for Internationalizing Indian Higher Education A primer guiding education initiatives to leverage UGC Regulations and guidelines on Internationalisation of higher education. READ MORE UGC SEDGS Guidelines A primer on the Guidelines for Equitable Opportunity to the Socially Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) in Higher Education Institutions. READ MORE Social Stock Exchange: A Primer for non-profits A primer to help NPOs list and raise funds on the Indian Social Stock Exchange. READ MORE

RESEARCH REPORTS T H E M A T I C S Disability Education Gender Philanthropy Technology Disability-inclusive Budgeting - Key Recommendations for the Union Budget 2026-27 A report outlining evidence-based recommendations for making the Union Budget 2026-27 more responsive to persons with disabilities, based on consultations convened in collaboration with the Politics and Disability Forum. READ REPORT Disability Towards a Unified, Scalable Ecosystem for the Disability Sector Pacta partnered with Tech Mahindra Foundation as the research partner for a pioneering initiative, The Ability Network (TAN). This report captures its development as a digital-first, collaborative ecosystem to bridge critical gaps in services, information, and support for persons with disabilities and their caregivers in India. READ REPORT Disability Data Insights on Decisions of India’s Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2024 A quantitative analysis of orders passed by India's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2024. READ REPORT Disability Disability Budgets in India 2021-2026 A study tracking federal allocations and spending patterns for disability budgets in India from 2021 to 2026. READ REPORT Disability CSR and Sports in India-The First Decade A report contouring trends and patterns in CSR funding for Sports in India from the year 2014-2023. READ REPORT Philanthropy Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities: A Data-Informed Report The report examines the systemic absence of disability-disaggregated data across the justice system. The absence of data serves as a proxy for the invisibility of persons with disabilities across the system’s four key pillars: police, judiciary, legal aid, and prisons. READ REPORT Disability AI Adoption in Indian Social Sector Programs: Early Insights, Emerging Stakeholders and Future Directions The report explores the motivations, models, risks, and practical realities of AI deployment in non-profit programmes. Open Report Microsite READ REPORT Technology State of Unique Disability Identity Implementation in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh A study landscaping the state of challenges pertaining to UDID in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. READ REPORT Disability Data Protection for Children–Pathways towards Implementing Intentions of the DPDP Act An in-depth analysis of the legal, technical, and ethical challenges in protecting children’s personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. READ REPORT Technology India Justice Report 2025: Ranking States on the Capacity of Police, Judiciary, Prisons and Legal Aid 'Data Disabled', featured in the India Justice Report 2025 (pp. 164–172), examines the systemic absence of disability-disaggregated data in India’s justice system and calls for an urgent shift toward inclusive data practices. READ REPORT Disability Verifiable Parental Consent: DPDP Act and Rules A white paper on verifiable parental consent under the DPDP Act, 2023 exploring challenges in digital consent for children. READ REPORT Technology State of Unique Disability Identity Implementation in Telengana A study landscaping the state of challenges pertaining to UDID in Telengana. READ REPORT Disability Kimaya's Home A graphic novel inspired by a study on legal guardianship, offering a glimpse into Kimaya's life as a neurodiverse person, exploring autonomy and independence. READ REPORT Disability State of Unique Disability Identity Implementation in Maharashtra A study landscaping the state of challenges pertaining to UDID in Maharashtra. READ REPORT Disability Strengthening the Implementation of India’s National Disability Pension Scheme A policy memo analysing pathways to strengthen the implementation of India's National pension Scheme for Persons with Disabilities. READ REPORT Disability Tracing the Budgetary Allocations for Disability Sector in India A study scoping out disability budget allocations over nine years until 2024. READ REPORT Disability Impact of Covid-19 on Inclusive-Education A research paper mapping the impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the state of inclusive education for children with disabilities in rural and urban Karnataka. READ REPORT Disability, Education Delivering Justice Solutions to Persons with Disabilities through Online Dispute Resolution Platforms An academic paper proposing a framework of an inclusive online dispute resolution (ODR) platform in service of persons with disabilities. READ REPORT Disability Data Insights on Decisions of India's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2022 A quantitative analysis of 350+ orders passed by India's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2022. READ REPORT Disability State Of Special Educators in India A quantitative analysis of the state of inclusive education and special educators in India based on UDISE Data 2022-23, reflecting a significant shortage of special educators. READ REPORT Disability, Education Data Insights on Decisions of India's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2023 A quantitative analysis of 350+ orders passed by India's Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 2023. READ REPORT Disability Early Analysis of Disability Data Gaps An overview of disability data gaps in India across federal level data sets such as census and other national statistical surveys. READ REPORT Disability Disability Budgets in India: Tracking Allocations & Spending Patterns A study scoping out disability budget allocations over eight years until 2023. READ REPORT Disability Anti-Sexual Harassment Laws & Classical Arts An examination of the implementation effectiveness of anti-sexual harassment laws in the classical arts in India. READ REPORT Gender Implications of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 on Persons with Disabilities An examination of the potential impact of India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 on persons with disabilities in India - based on a survey of ~100 persons with disabilities. READ REPORT Technology Legal Guardianship for Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities An exploratory study on lived experiences and challenges surrounding legal guardianship laws for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their care-givers in India. READ REPORT Disability State of Unique Disability Identity Implementation in Karnataka A study landscaping the state of challenges pertaining to UDID in Karnataka. READ REPORT Disability Towards Enhancing Data Utility and Accessibility for Schools A study mapping data practices in the school education sector in India to identify pathways that strengthen utility and accessibility of data to serve better student outcomes and moving away from data as a tool for oversight and punishment. READ REPORT Education, Technology Digitization and the Future of Work Explores the impact of digitalisation, AI, and automation on labor, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and policy recommendations for an equitable future of work in the aftermath of Covid - 19 pandemic. READ REPORT Technology Corporate Social Responsibility and Sexual and Gender Minorities Building the Bridge A Study of the Status of CSR in India for LGBTQ+ Initiatives. READ REPORT Philanthropy, Gender Data Driven Anti Competitive Practices of Food Services Aggregators in India Study to address shifts in the digital food delivery economy, changes in Food Service Aggregators' strategies, and their anti-trust data practices, in the context on India's Competition Act. READ REPORT Technology CSR and Sports in India: Emerging Trends and Implications A report contouring trends and patterns in CSR funding for Sports in India from the year 2014-2021. READ REPORT Philanthropy Evaluation of Public Parks in Bengaluru: Are They Inclusive for Children With Disabilities? Assessment of accessibility and inclusiveness of 30+ public parks in Bengaluru for children with disabilities, providing evidence-backed findings to guide improvements in accessibility and thereof inclusivity. READ REPORT Disability Tuberculosis and Disability - A Rapid Assessment Report First ever systematic scoping of experience of persons with disability across the case cascade of tuberculosis treatment in India. READ REPORT Disability Exploratory Study to Assess the Implementation of Laws on Promoting Gender Equality in the Corporate Sector in India A report on the implementation effectiveness of three laws to strengthen gender equality in the Indian corporate sector. READ REPORT Gender

ANNUAL REPORTS Pacta Annual Report 2025 Go to Pacta Annual Report 2022 Go to Pacta Annual Report 2024 Go to Pacta Annual Report 2023 Go to

CASE COMPENDIUMS Preserving the Right to to Safe, Inclusive and Quality Education in India 2024 READ MORE Amicus Brief in Right To Education Students & Parents Association Vs. State of Karnataka READ MORE Preserving the Right to Safe, Inclusive and Quality Education in India 2023 READ MORE Preserving the Right to Safe, Inclusive and Quality Education in India 2022 READ MORE

Pacta journey, mission statement and team member profiles. SOCIAL | IMPACT | LEGAL Who We Are Who We Are Pacta is a Bengaluru-based law firm and think tank dedicated to reducing inequities by bridging the gaps between the intent and implementation of laws and policies. Through our legal services, Pacta advises billion-dollar philanthropies, family foundations, NGOs, CSR entities, public trusts, social incubators/accelerators, schools, and universities. Through our research services, Pacta supports government departments, multilaterals, and social impact initiatives. Our Journey Our Journey Pacta began in 2017 as a law firm providing legal strategy and legal advisory services to the social sector, making Pacta India's only exclusive social sector law firm. Over time, Pacta evolved into a non-partisan research initiative working at the intersection of law and policy to identify and bridge gaps in conversion from policy to law to practice. Our Vision To build a social impact ecosystem where law, governnace, and technology enable justice rather than entrench power - allowing purpose-driven institutions to thrive without being burdended or excluded. Our Mission To make legal regulation legible, reduce disproportionate compliance burdens, and strengthen the institutional capacity of organisations advancing public good. We achieve our mission by: Translating complex laws into actionable understanding Translating complex laws into actionable understanding Our People Nivedita Krishna FOUNDER Nivedita Krishna is a law and public policy consultant with 15 years of experience in the corporate and social sector. In the last decade, she has focused on law and policy initiatives to strengthen India's public education system. Nivedita is a Member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, has completed her LL.B from ILS Law College, Pune and holds a Master’s in Public Policy from Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs. Nandini Narayanaswamy CO-FOUNDER Nandini is a law graduate from NALSAR and is part of the core team at Pacta. She is in charge of the contracting, general compliance & labour initiatives at Pacta. Nandini, spent a few good years at leading law firms in Bangalore, before she joined Pacta. She brings the rigour of the corporate world into structuring ethical, compliant yet practical solutions for our Clients in their realization of India’s Sustainable Development Goals. Bency Ramakrishnan LEAD, LEGAL Bency holds an LL.B. from Government Law College, Mumbai and a Master’s in Public Policy from Mumbai University. She began her career as a LAMP Fellow, and went on to litigate in the courts in Mumbai. Using her background in law and public policy, she has worked at its intersection with Central Government Ministries, and wishes to continue contributing meaningfully to this space. Naman Khatwani LEAD, LEGAL & POLICY Naman holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) from the National University of Juridical Sciences. With a background in dispute resolution and the social sector, he has worked with top law firms and chambers, handling complex cases before courts and tribunals in India. Outside of work, Naman has a passion for slow fashion, making gourmet ice cream, and cycling—always up for a chat or a long ride! Lathangi G LEGAL & POLICY ASSOCIATE Lathangi is a graduate of VIT School of Law, Chennai. She specialises in Data Protection laws and the convergence of Law and Technology. Recently, her focus has expanded to disability laws, where she aims to contribute towards creating a more accessible and equitable legal system. KK Prahalad SENIOR LEGAL & POLICY CONSULTANT Prahalad holds an LL.M from the National Law School of India University and a B.A. LL.B (Hons.) from Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law University. His expertise spans tech policy, governance, and disability rights, with a keen interest in international law and politics. Sudeshna Bose SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sudeshna contributes through visual storytelling, designing presentations, social media content, infographics, illustrations, and research papers. Her interests lie in using creative knowledge and skill to craft designs that inspire, motivate, and leave a lasting impression. Susan Job COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATE Susan holds a Masters in Development from Azim Premji University, Bengaluru, and a Bachelor's in IES (Industrial Relations, Economics, and Sociology) from St. Joseph's University, Bengaluru. Susan is passionate about working at the intersection of communications, social impact, and design. Bhavitraa Thilagar COMMUNICATIONS DESIGN ASSOCIATE Bhavitraa is an information designer, guiding visual storytelling and strategic communications at the the intersection of law, policy, and research. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accessory Design from NIFT, Chennai and a Master’s in Information Design from Srishti Manipal Institute. As a serial experimenter and a certified jack-of-all-interests, she is endlessly fascinated by the world and only occasionally questions her instinct to dive into heated debates. Shreya Koner DATA ANALYST Shreya holds a postgraduate degree in Gender Studies from TISS, Hyderabad. She brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to data-driven research, combining technical proficiency in Python, SPSS, and advanced Excel with a deep understanding of gender and policy. Her experience spans data analysis, budget tracking, and research. Outside of spreadsheets and dashboards, Shreya enjoys swimming, playing the ukulele, and has an enduring love for all things sweet. Prachi Purohit RESEARCH ASSOCIATE - POLICY Prachi is a UGC-JRF qualified Political Science postgraduate with an engineering background from NIT Bhopal. She has worked across policy research, corporate analytics, and grassroots development. Her interests lie in governance, social impact, and education. Outside work, she enjoys theatre, public speaking, reading fiction, running 10k and learning languages.

PRIVACY POLICY This Privacy Policy of Pacta (“Pacta”, “we” “us” or “our”) is committed to respecting the privacy of users who access https://www.pacta.in/ and any content, features, services, or other offerings that Pacta may provide in connection therewith. This Privacy Policy tells you what information is collected when you visit our website or send us an email and how that information is used. This Privacy Policy also describes your choices and rights regarding the use, access and correction or deletion of your Information (as defined below). Please read this Privacy Policy carefully to understand our policies and practices regarding your Information (as defined below) and how we will treat it. By using the website, you consent to the use of your Information (as defined below) in accordance with this Privacy Policy. I. Information We Collect About You 1. Personal Information – This includes information through which you may be personally identified, such as name, email address and contact details collected via our website (“Personal Information”). 2. Non-Personal Information – This includes information that alone cannot be used to identify or contact you. Such Non-Personal Information may include but is not limited to, browser information and details, IP address, operating system information, mobile device information, pages accessed, times of visit and referring websites, applications or services including relevant search queries that led you to our website (“Non-Personal Information”) Collectively, Personal Information and Non-Personal Information shall be referred to as “Information”. We are committed to your privacy and will not share any Information with any third party without your consent, except as outlined in this Privacy Policy or as permitted by law. If you have any requests, comments, or questions about this Privacy Policy or your Information, please contact us in the manner provided below. II. Purpose Pacta is a law firm focusing on the legal needs of the social sector. The legal basis for collecting and processing your Information is for the purpose of meeting our legitimate interests. We will only use your name, email address and contact details for the purpose of responding to a message received from you. III. What this Privacy Policy Covers This Privacy Policy applies only to individuals who (i) access Pacta website; and (ii) who have contacted us via the “contact us” page of our website. IV. Web Beacons We use web beacons (invisible images often referred to as pixel tags or clear GIFs) on our sites in order to recognize users, assess traffic patterns, identify preferred content and measure site engagement. We also include web beacons in our e-mail messages in order to count how many e-mail messages have been opened. Pacta also use web beacons to collect various data provided by your browser while you are on our website and elsewhere (i.e., outside of the website) where we may be acting as a third party. This data is collected in the aggregate, but may include or be associated with other non-PII or PII that users have voluntarily submitted. V. Log Files The website’s web and ad servers log information about a user's IP address, browser type and the current URL the user is requesting. This information is always provided by a user's browser and automatically logged by most websites. These log files are stored in a secure location and used in our internal analysis of traffic patterns within our website. VI. Use of Your Information We use your Information for the following purposes: • for the purposes as set forth in clause II above; • to provide better usability, troubleshooting and site maintenance; • to understand which parts of the website are visited and how frequently; • to contact you and respond to your questions or requests; • to provide access to desirable content based on your preferences; and • to provide services to you, more details about which are available on the website. VII. Disclosure of your Information We may disclose Personal Information that we collect from you as described below in this policy: • To our service providers, who provide services for us including but not limited to sending emails on our behalf, providing analytics services and helping us provide services as requested by users. Our service providers are bound by law or contract to protect Personal Information and are only allowed to use Personal Information in accordance with the terms of our service agreements with them. We do NOT share, sell, rent or trade Personal Information with third parties for their own promotional purposes and we will only share Personal Information as outlined herein or with your consent. • We may disclose your Personal Information if required to do so by law such as to comply with a subpoena or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to conform to the edicts of the law, protect your safety or the safety of others, investigate fraud or comply with a judicial proceeding, court order or legal process served on us or to protect and defend the rights or property of Saarthi. VIII. Access, correction, objection of your Information You have the right to access, correct, delete or transfer your Personal Information that we hold, including your preferences. You also have the right to object to certain processing and, where we have asked for your consent to process your Personal Information, to withdraw this consent. Where we process your Personal Information because we have a legitimate interest in doing so (as explained above), you also have a right to object to this. These rights may be limited in some situations – for example, where we can demonstrate that we have a legal requirement to process your Personal Information. You can assert your rights in the corresponding sections where such Personal Information was provided or by contacting us at hello@pacta.in IX. Security We care about the protection of your Personal Information and use industry standard safeguards to do so. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that no data transmission on the Internet is guaranteed to be 100% secure. We have implemented reasonable administrative, technical, physical, electronic, and organizational safeguards to protect your Personal Information against loss or theft as well as unauthorized access and disclosure to protect your privacy. We treat data as an asset that must be protected against loss and unauthorized access. We employ many different security techniques to protect such data from unauthorized access by users inside and outside Pacta. However, "perfect security" does not exist on the Internet. If you are concerned that your privacy may have been breached, please contact us as provided below. X. Privacy of Children The website is intended for people who are at least 16 years of age. If you are less than 16 years old, please do not send any Personal Information. We do not knowingly collect (nor do we wish to collect) any personally identifiable information or other user information from children under the age of 16. In the event that we learn we have collected any Personal Information from a child under the age of 16, we will delete such from our database, if any. We encourage you to discuss with your parent or guardian. XI. How to Contact Us Please contact us if you have any questions or requests. If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or how to remove or modify your user information or related consents, please feel free to contact us by e-mail at hello@pacta.in XII. How Will I Know if the Privacy Policy Is Changed? If we make any material changes we will notify you by email (sent to the e-mail address specified in your account) or by means of a notice on this website prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.