In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has declared that all disabled candidates—regardless of the 40% benchmark disability requirement—can now use scribes to assist them in examinations.
Previously, only those with a minimum of 40% disability were allowed this provision. The bench emphasized that the distinction between candidates with disabilities and those meeting the benchmark threshold was arbitrary and needed to be eliminated.
The Court directed examination authorities to ensure full compliance with accessibility laws, including making test centers physically accessible and providing necessary accommodations. It also mandated that all recruitment agencies and exam-conducting bodies uniformly follow government guidelines, conduct regular awareness drives, establish a grievance redressal portal, review existing policies, and extend the validity of scribe certificates beyond the current six-month limit.
These measures are to be implemented within two months. The ruling stemmed from a petition by a disabled candidate who sought a scribe for banking exams, prompting the Court to issue broader guidelines to prevent future accessibility issues.