Question : Eligibility Condition for Differently abled

(a) whether the Government has revised the ‘Guidelines for conducting written examination for persons with disabilities’ issued by the Ministry on 26th February 2013;

(b) if so, the details of the revision and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether any restrictions have been imposed on educational qualifications of scribe/reader/lab assistant, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the new guidelines mandate the production of a certificate from the Chief Medical Officer/Chief Surgeon/ Medical Superintendent of a Government Hospital in addition to the disability certificate; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT

(SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. The Ministry has issued revised guidelines for conducting written for persons with benchmark disabilities on 29/08/2018 replacing the earlier guidelines issued on 26/02/2013. The revised guidelines were issued on the basis of the recommendations of the Expert Committee constituted on 26/03/2015 to look into the issues raised by UPSC and others relating to implementation of the guidelines for conducting written examination for persons with disabilities

(c) As per Clause VI of the guidelines for conducting written examination for persons with benchmark disabilities issued on 29/08/2018, In case the examining body provides the scribe/reader/lab assistant, it shall be ensured that qualification of the scribe should not be more than the minimum qualification criteria of the examination. However, the qualification of the scribe/reader should always be matriculate or above.

In case the candidate is allowed to bring his own scribe, the qualification of the scribe should be one step below the qualification of the candidate taking examination.

(d) & (e) As per clause IV of the guidelines dated 29/08/2018, the facility of Scribe/Reader/Lab Assistant should be allowed to any person with benchmark disability as defined under section 2(r) of the RPwD Act, 2016 and has limitation in writing including that of speed if so desired by him/her.

In case of persons with benchmark disabilities in the category of blindness, locomotor disability (both arm affected-BA) and cerebral palsy, the facility of scribe/reader/lab assistant shall be given, if so desired by the person.

In case of other category of persons with benchmark disabilities, the provision of scribe/reader/lab assistant can be allowed on production of a certificate to the effect that the person concerned has physical limitation to write, and scribe is essential to write examination on his behalf, from the Chief Medical Officer/Civil Surgeon/ Medical Superintendent of a Government health care institution as per the specified proforma.
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