The Central government has announced a major overhaul in the rules governing the use of scribes for persons with disabilities (PwDs) in competitive examinations. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has issued revised guidelines that mandate examining bodies to create their own vetted pools of scribes within two years, gradually phasing out the widely used "own scribe" system, which has been flagged for malpractice. The new framework applies to all competitive public examinations linked to jobs, admissions in professional and technical courses, and written tests. It is aligned with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, directives of the Supreme Court, and the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. The ministry emphasised that the changes aim to ensure fairness, transparency and integrity in examinations.
Encouraging independent attempts with assistive tech
Candidates will be encouraged to attempt examinations independently with the help of assistive technologies. These include software-enabled laptops, Braille, large print formats, screen readers like JAWS and NVDA, speech-to-text software and recording devices. Officials said this approach would prepare PwD candidates for independent functioning in workplaces and professional courses, while also reducing reliance on scribes.
End of privately arranged scribes
One of the most significant changes is the phasing out of privately arranged scribes, which examining bodies have flagged as prone to malpractice. Instances have been recorded where scribes colluded with candidates, writing answers without adequate dictation and undermining the credibility of the process. Until the official scribe pools are created, candidates will be allowed to bring their own scribes only in exceptional cases, and only for up to two years. "Significant inputs have been received from responsible bodies like UPSC, DoPT, NRA, etc., expressing concern over the credibility and transparency of the exams being undertaken by the PwDs by using a scribe, in general. In particular, the provision of 'Own Scribe' has been identified as a significant vulnerability in maintaining the integrity and fairness of the examination process," the guidelines said.
Tighter eligibility for scribes
The guidelines further tighten scribe eligibility. Their academic qualification must generally be two to three years below the minimum requirement for the exam, and they cannot be candidates for the same examination. They must also not have conflicts of interest.
Accessibility and special provisions
Candidates with functional writing limitations will receive compensatory time of at least 20 minutes per hour, regardless of whether they use a scribe. Examination centres must be fully accessible with ramps, lifts, wide corridors, ground-floor seating and audio announcements. Quiet rooms will be arranged for neurodiverse candidates and those with chronic health conditions.
Training, sensitisation and data privacy
The guidelines require exam staff to undergo disability etiquette training and annual sensitisation programmes. Authorities must also establish grievance redressal systems, collect feedback on scribe quality, and incentivise empanelled scribes. To ensure privacy, personal and medical data of candidates must be securely stored under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
Strict compliance and penalties
Officials who fail to implement the guidelines or exclude PwD candidates will face penal action. Malpractice by candidates or scribes can also attract penalties, reinforcing the government’s intent to keep the system transparent and credible.
(With PTI inputs)
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