Rules being changed to address concerns about exams for PwDs

Centre has set up an expert panel to "review and fine tune" guidelines for conducting examinations for persons with disabilities after UPSC said the present instructions could compromise the fairness of the tests.
According to official sources, UPSC raised issues about few guidelines particularly pertaining to scribes (persons who assist in writing) to ensure that integrity of the examinations are not compromised.
The expert committee chaired by Secretary of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and 10 other members drawn from different ministries including HRD, Department of Personnel and Training, UPSC, SSC and representatives from associations working with disabilities would submit their recommendations in two months.

As per the existing guidelines issued by the Social Justice Ministry, options have been given to differently abled candidates to choose their own scribe for written examinations.
Moreover, the guidelines have clearly stated that criteria such as educational qualification, marks scored, age or other such restrictions should not be fixed for scribes.
This has created some issues like whether a scribe from a science background can assist a PwD candidate appearing for the same (science) subject, the sources reasoned.

"Henceforth, in a bid to sort out all these issues, the Government has constituted the expert committee, which would fine tune the guidelines," an official with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said.

Besides, the committee would also examine issues raised by differently-abled candidates while taking part in written examinations conducted by the Government, sources added.
It may be recalled that the Chief Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities (CCPD) had directed Social Justice Ministry to circulate guidelines for the purpose of conducting written examination for PwDs.
Following which, an uniform and comprehensive guidelines for conducting examination for PwDs was framed for all the recruitment agencies, academics and examination bodies in 2013.