AICTE issues fresh guidelines to hold examinations for differently-abled

The council’s decision to issue a circular came after recommendations from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 

In the circular, the AICTE pointed out that the Equal Opportunities, Protection for Rights and Full Participation Act provided for reservation in government jobs for persons with benchmark disabilities. 

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities revised the guidelines. The word “extra time or additional time” that is being currently used has been changed to “compensatory time”. It should not be less than 20 minutes per hour of examination for those who are allowed the use of a scribe, reader or lab assistant. 

The council urged vice-chancellors and principals to take necessary actions for strict implementation of the revised guidelines and corrigendum while conducting examination and also during conducting online examination for persons with benchmark disabilities in the institutions. They have also been asked that persons with benchmark disabilities are granted additional time as per the revised guidelines. 

The council also said that further details on revised guidelines should be accessed from the web portal of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.