Low-IQ students deserve special consideration: Kerala HC

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday directed the state government to provide children who have IQ levels between 70 and 84 — falling under the category of slow learners or ‘borderline intelligent’ persons — with the facilities available to disabled persons in the SSLC examinations remaining this year.

The division bench issued the order on a petition filed by Bibin K B of Thrissur and other class X students of CNN Boys Higher Secondary School, Cherpu, whose IQ levels are between 70 and 84. They sought a directive to the government to allow them and other such children the additional facilities available to disabled persons while writing the examinations.

The counsel for the petitioners submitted that such children require assistance to take the class X examination. The court noted that it was evident from the order issued by the state commissioner for persons with disabilities that children whose IQ levels are between 70 and 84 would fall under the category of slow learners/borderline intelligence. Such children come under neither the intellectual disability category nor the specific learning disability category, the court said.

“Most of the children coming under this category deserve special consideration,” the court said. 
The director of health services has also issued orders to all organisations concerned to convene an urgent medical board and issue certificates necessary to the said children to get examination benefits.