CHENNAI: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam has urged the School Education Department to withdraw the Directorate of Government Examinations circular proposing the appointment of college students and volunteers as scribes for the 2026 Class 10 and Class 12 public examinations, citing concerns over the academic welfare of students with disabilities.
In a representation addressed to the School Education Minister, he said students with visual impairment, hearing and speech impairment, neurological conditions, dyslexia, mental health challenges, and those temporarily unable to write due to injuries depend on trained scribes during examinations.
Traditionally, teachers and trained educators have been engaged for this role to ensure accuracy and fairness in transcription.
According to the representation, the recent circular sent to Chief Educational Officers directs that second-year college students and volunteers from the Illam Thedi Kalvi scheme be identified, trained, and deployed as scribes for the upcoming supplementary examinations as well as the March-April public examinations in 2026.
The move has triggered anxiety among teachers, students with disabilities and their parents, he said. Appointing untrained college students and volunteers as scribes could undermine the academic prospects of candidates who rely on accurate dictation.
Errors in transcription could directly affect marks and even result in failure, thereby jeopardising higher education opportunities for students with disabilities.
He pointed out that handling candidates with specific learning disabilities and neurological conditions requires sensitivity and appropriate training, and that the government must ensure that those appointed as scribes possess the requisite skills and experience.
Calling the issue humanitarian and rights-based, Shanmugam urged the Minister to intervene and rescind the circular. He sought a continuation of the existing practice of appointing teachers and qualified educators as scribes to safeguard the interests of students with disabilities in the forthcoming public examinations.