Disabled students to get relaxations in exams

Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 16

Children with special needs will get relaxations/concessions in examinations from 2020 as defined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) today released a list regarding the same.

“It has been observed that neither schools nor students are fully aware of these exemptions. They are not following the correct way of seeking available relaxations during their course of studies and examinations. Hence, the CBSE has issued an advisory to schools as per the guidelines of Inclusive Education of Children with Disabilities (IECD),” the board said.

The board has asked the schools to make premises disabled friendly by 2020 and that all educational institutions, including hostels, libraries, laboratories and buildings, have barrier-free access for the disabled.

The schools have also been directed to modify the existing physical infrastructure and teaching methodologies to meet the needs of all children, including Children with Special Needs (CWSN).

The schools will have to ensure the availability of study material for disabled, trained teachers, talking textbooks, reading machines and computers with speech software. Special children will be provided support through assistive devices.

In Class X, candidates with disabilities will be exempted from the second language. They will have the option of studying one compulsory language instead of two.

There will be flexibility of choosing subjects. They will have the option of choosing any one subject out of music, painting and home science.

Computerised exams

Use of computer shall be limited to only for typing answers, viewing questions in large font and listening to question items. The candidate concerned will have to bring own computer or laptop duly formatted.

Apply by July 9

Parents will have to make a request to the school, along with a copy of certificate of disability, by July 9. The school will forward the request to the regional office of the board latest by July 15, along with specific recommendations. In case of rejection by the school, the same should also be sent to board, along with reasons of rejection.

The board’s regional office will examine the request in accordance with the rules of the board. In case of rejection, reasons for the same will be intimated.

4,304 children with special needs 

• Of the total 4,304 children with special needs (CWSN) in Chandigarh, 4,087 are studying in schools, while the remaining 217 are getting home-based education.
• Fifty four per cent of schools have ramps
• Of 114 government schools in Chandigarh, 50 have disabled friendly toilets
• As many as 194 posts for special educators are lying vacant

Board lists relaxations

• Flexibility in choosing subjects
• Exemption from second language
• Computerised exams
• Examination room on ground floor
• Permitting assistive devices during exam (with doctor’s advice)
• Waiving of registration fee for Classes IX to XII examinations for visually impaired
• Magnifying glasses/portable video magnifiers for visually impaired