SEBI Digital Accessibility Rules for Research Analysts and Investment AdvisersSEBI's circular of 31 July 2025 requires every regulated entity, including research analysts and investment advisers, to make its websites, apps and KYC accessible to persons with disabilities under the RPwD Act 2016. RAs and IAs report to BSE, and the audit and fix deadlines were extended to 31 October 2026.  Last updated: 29 October 2026 SEBI's digital accessibility rules require research analysts and investment advisers to make their websites, apps, documents and KYC usable by persons with disabilities, to the standard of WCAG 2.1 or later, and to have them audited by certified accessibility professionals. The rules come from SEBI's circular of 31 July 2025 under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act 2016, and RAs and IAs report compliance to BSE. They apply to the client portal and onboarding you use, which is why your client portal and website platform matters. This guide covers who the rules apply to, what they require, the deadlines as extended, and what to do now. Check the latest SEBI and BSE circulars before acting; this guide is not legal advice. Do SEBI's accessibility rules apply to research analysts?Yes. The circular "Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and rules made thereunder: mandatory compliance by all Regulated Entities" (31 July 2025) covers every SEBI-registered intermediary and market infrastructure institution. A follow-up circular of 29 August 2025, addressed to BSE as both IAASB and RAASB, made BSE the reporting authority for investment advisers and research analysts. What do the rules require?Accessible digital platformsWebsites, apps and portals must meet WCAG 2.1 or the latest version, the latest Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW) and IS 17802. SEBI's December 2025 format asks whether each platform meets WCAG level AA. Accessible documentsDocuments should be tagged PDFs that follow WCAG's PDF techniques, and content needs alternatives such as alt text and captions. Accessible KYCOffer alternatives such as human-assisted video KYC, scanned document upload and voice-assisted KYC, and have a person review an application from a person with a disability before rejecting it. A nodal officerName a nodal officer for accessibility. If you don't, your compliance officer or proprietor is treated as the nodal officer. GrievancesProvide a way to raise accessibility complaints, with escalation. Investors can also file accessibility complaints on SCORES. AuditsHave your platforms audited by certified accessibility professionals, with usability testing by persons with disabilities, then audit again periodically. What are the deadlines?SEBI has revised the timelines several times. The table shows the milestones for RAs and IAs as most recently set. BSE asked research analysts to report their accessibility compliance status on its IA/RA portal by 31 March 2026. Check BSE's latest notices for any further extension. Does it cover software you use from a vendor?Yes. The circular says software-as-a-service providers must audit their products against WCAG 2.1 or later, but the regulated entity stays responsible. If clients reach you through a vendor's portal, onboarding flow or app, ask the vendor for its accessibility audit and remediation status, and include those platforms in your own list. What should you do now?
Which accessibility problems should you fix first?Start where a failure stops a client from becoming or staying a client: sign-up, KYC, consent and payment. What does an accessibility audit involve?Automated and manual testingAuditors run automated checks, then test pages by hand against WCAG, using a keyboard and screen readers. Testing by persons with disabilitiesSEBI's circular asks for usability testing by persons with disabilities, not just a checklist review. A report and a fix planYou get a list of issues by severity. Fix them, keep the evidence, and plan the next periodic audit. What does an accessible RA website look like?Keyboard and screen readersEvery page, form and menu works without a mouse and makes sense to a screen reader. Readable contentText has enough colour contrast, images have alt text, and videos have captions. Accessible disclosuresYour disclaimer, Investor Charter and complaint data are text or tagged PDFs, not images. See research analyst website requirements. Keep your client experience in one placeFinuro runs onboarding, payments, research delivery and records on one client portal under your brand, so there are fewer separate platforms to list, audit and fix. See the white-label platform and ask us for the accessibility status of the portal when you review your vendors. Related Finuro features
Frequently asked questionsAnswers to common questions on this topic. Built for SEBI RAs and IAs Fewer platforms to auditOnboarding, payments, research and records on one client portal under your brand.  |
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