SEBI Website Accessibility Compliance: What Research Analysts Must Do (2026)

Guide by Arihant Intellect · Updated July 2026

If you are a SEBI-registered Research Analyst or Investment Adviser, your website is not just a brochure — it is a regulated disclosure surface. And that surface has to be accessible to people with disabilities by 31st July 2026. Here is what that means in plain language, and how to get compliant without expensive rework.

What is “website accessibility”?

Website accessibility means your site can be used by everyone — including people who are blind, have low vision, are colour-blind, have motor difficulties, or rely on assistive technology like screen readers. The globally recognised standard is WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), published by the W3C, at conformance Level A and AA.

Does it apply to SEBI Research Analysts and Investment Advisers?

Yes. Two things combine here:

• The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires service providers to make information and communication technology accessible.
• SEBI has been steadily pushing registered intermediaries — including Research Analysts and Investment Advisers — to make their websites and apps accessible to persons with disabilities.

What WCAG 2.2 Level AA actually asks for

You don’t need to memorise 80 success criteria. In practice, an accessible Research Analyst website gets these right:

• ✓ Colour contrast — text is dark-on-light (or light-on-dark) enough to read; at least 4.5:1 for normal text.
• ✓ Keyboard navigation — every link, button and menu works using the Tab key, not just a mouse.
• ✓ Visible focus — you can always see which element is selected while tabbing.
• ✓ Text alternatives — images, icons and charts have descriptive alt text.
• ✓ Proper headings & labels — a logical heading structure and labelled form fields so screen readers can navigate.
• ✓ Resizable text — content stays usable when zoomed to 200%.
• ✓ No colour-only meaning — information isn’t conveyed by colour alone.

Where Research Analyst websites usually fail

• Grey-on-grey or gold-on-white disclaimers that fail contrast.
• Complaints tables and PDFs that a screen reader can’t read.
• Menus and pop-ups that only work with a mouse.
• Images of text (e.g. a scanned registration certificate) with no alt text.
• “Click here” links with no meaningful label.

How to make your website accessible

1. Audit the current site against WCAG 2.2 — automated scan first, then a manual keyboard-and-screen-reader pass.
2. Fix contrast, headings, labels, focus and alt text.
3. Add an accessibility toolbar so visitors can adjust contrast, text size and reading mode themselves.
4. Re-test and keep an accessibility statement on the site.
5. Maintain it — every new page or PDF has to stay accessible.

What happens if you ignore it?

Beyond regulatory exposure, an inaccessible website simply turns away potential clients who can’t use it, and it undercuts the trust a SEBI registration is supposed to signal. Accessibility is increasingly a baseline expectation, not a nice-to-have.

Frequently asked questions

Is website accessibility mandatory for SEBI Research Analysts?

Yes — SEBI-registered intermediaries are required to make their websites accessible (in line with WCAG standards and the RPwD Act, 2016) by 31st July 2026. Confirm the current date on sebi.gov.in.

What standard should my website meet?

WCAG 2.2 Level A and AA — the recognised benchmark for accessible websites.

Can I test it myself?

Free tools give a first pass, but automated checks catch only part of the issues. A manual review against WCAG 2.2 is needed for genuine compliance.

Related: SEBI RA Compliance Checklist · SEBI RA Compliance Circulars · Websites for Research Analysts

Arihant Intellect is a web & IT service provider, not a SEBI intermediary, and does not provide investment advice or legal/compliance certification. This article is general information, not legal advice — verify all regulatory requirements with official SEBI sources and your compliance advisor.