Respite: GOI alters rules for conducting exams of physically challenged candidates
Srinagar: In a significant development, the ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India (GoI) has amended the guidelines for conducting written exams of candidates with bench mark disabilities.
In this regard the department has shot a letter to all the universities for “strict implementation” of the guidelines as per the new amendments made for convenience of the candidates with bench mark disability availing the facility of scribe.
As per the amended guidelines, the department has decided to treat extra time as compensatory time for these candidates which should not be less than 20 minutes per hour.
“The word extra time of the additional time that is being currently used by the disabled candidates should be changed to compensatory time. And the same should not be less than 20 minutes per hour of examination for persons who are allotted use of scribe reader or lab assistant,” reads the letter shot to all the universities.
The university authorities have been asked to convey it to the concerned constituent colleges for strict implementation of the guidelines while holding any written exam of the persons with benchmark disability.
The department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India has stated that the candidates with benchmark disabilities who are eligible for availing the facility of scribe in terms of guidelines may be allowed additional time of minimum of one hour for examination of three hours duration, “whether they use the facility of scribe or not.”
As per the amendment in the guidelines, it is also stated that in case the duration of the exam is less than an hour, then the duration of additional time should be allowed on pro-rata basis.
“Additional time should not be less than five minutes and should be the multiple of five,” reads the letter.
KV Correspondent
