NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at easing the burden on aspirants with disabilities, the Centre has asked all service examination authorities under the Central and state governments to accept standardised disability certificate to write competitive tests instead of insisting on exam-specific formats.
The decision is intended to remove the “hardship” and “financial strain” faced by candidates who were previously required to obtain separate disability certificates customised to the requirements of different recruiting bodies.
The development follows a representation from a West Bengal resident with benchmark disability—70% permanent low vision, who flagged the need for standardisation in “certification regarding physical limitation to write competitive examination.” Taking cognisance of the issue, the ministry of social justice and empowerment (MoSJ&E) has written to all central ministries, government departments and divisions dealing with disability affairs in states and Union Territories (UTs) urging them to recognise and accept the standardised certificate.
In its communication, the ministry noted that candidates with disabilities are compelled to frequently approach government hospitals for re-verification and fresh certificates.
This practice causes hardship, financial strain, and loss of preparation time, affecting candidates who are based outside their home district, the ministry pointed out. A certificate of physical limitation for exams validates a candidate’s disability-related inability to write, enabling them to use a scribe or extra time.
Antareep Maity, a resident of Howrah, informed the ministry that different examination authorities issue various formats for medical boards to certify use of scribe and compensatory time for persons with disabilities (PwD).