To promote and facilitate inclusive education, Section 17 of RPwD Act, 2016 provides to make suitable modifications in the examination system to meet the needs of students with disabilities such as facility of scribe/ assistance, extra time for completion of examination paper.
A Committee, headed by Secretary, DEPwD reviewed the issues raised by UPSC regarding the process of conducting written examination, so far as it concerned to PwDs. Based on the findings of Committee the Central Government had issued revised guidelines on 29th August,2018 for persons with benchmark disabilities.
Subsequently, in compliance to an Order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, in the case of Vikas Kumar vs. UPSC and others, another OM was issued on 10th August 2022. These guidelines allow examinees below the benchmark disability also to avail the facility of scribe/ assistance, subject to due certification by prescribed medical authority and the examinees are allowed to bring scribe of their choice.
The guidelines dated 10th August, 2022 are independent of the Guidelines dated 29.08.2018. Further, consultations are going on with DOPT, recruitment agencies, the stakeholder-community and others, in the light of DOPT’s ‘The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act 2024’.