Screen Reader Access
This portal is designed to be fully accessible to users of screen readers and other assistive technologies. This page explains how to navigate effectively.
Skip Navigation Links
At the very top of every page you will find hidden skip links that become visible when focused. These allow screen reader users to bypass the navigation and jump directly to the main content:
- Skip to Main Content — jumps past the header and navigation directly to the page content (keyboard shortcut: Tab once from the top, then Enter).
- Skip to Navigation — jumps to the main navigation menu.
Keyboard Navigation
Every interactive element on this portal is keyboard-accessible. All forms, buttons, links, and menus can be used without a mouse.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Tab | Move to next interactive element |
| Shift + Tab | Move to previous interactive element |
| Enter / Space | Activate a button or link |
| Escape | Close a dialog, dropdown or modal |
| Arrow keys | Navigate within menus and dropdowns |
| Home / End | Jump to first / last item in a list |
Screen Reader Usage Guide
NVDA (Windows)
Free and open-source screen reader for Microsoft Windows. Download from nvaccess.org.
- Press Insert + F7 to open the Elements List (links, headings, landmarks).
- Press H to jump between headings — the page uses proper H1/H2/H3 hierarchy.
- Use the landmark navigation (D key) to jump to main content, navigation, and search.
JAWS (Windows)
Job Access With Speech — commercial screen reader by Freedom Scientific.
- Press Insert + F6 to list all headings on the page.
- Press Insert + F7 to list all links on the page.
- Virtual cursor mode (browse mode) is recommended for reading page content.
VoiceOver (macOS / iOS)
Built-in screen reader on Apple devices — no installation required.
- On macOS, press Command + F5 to toggle VoiceOver.
- Use Control + Option + Arrow keys to navigate.
- On iOS, triple-press the side button (or Home) to enable VoiceOver.
TalkBack (Android)
Built-in screen reader on Android devices.
- Enable in Settings → Accessibility → TalkBack.
- Swipe right/left to navigate between elements.
- Double-tap to activate the focused element.
Built-in Accessibility Features
- Text size control — Use A−, A, A+ in the top bar to resize all text without loss of content or functionality (WCAG 1.4.4).
- High contrast mode — Click the ◑ button in the top bar to switch to high contrast display (WCAG 1.4.11).
- Language selection — Switch between English (A), हिन्दी (अ), and मराठी (अ) using the language buttons in the top bar.
- ARIA landmarks — All major page regions (header, navigation, main content, footer) are labelled so screen readers can list and jump to them.
- Form labels — Every input field has a visible label. Error messages are announced via
aria-liveregions. - Image alt text — All meaningful images have descriptive alternative text. Decorative images are marked with
alt="". - Focus indicators — All focusable elements have a visible 3px focus ring (WCAG 2.4.7).
- Colour contrast — All text meets the minimum 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background (WCAG 1.4.3).
Accessibility Feedback
If you face any accessibility barriers while using this portal, please contact us:
- Email: accessibility@mahashabari.gov.in
- Phone: 0253-2315860 (Mon–Fri, 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM)
- Or use the online feedback form.
We aim to respond to accessibility queries within 3 working days.