The Madras High Court on Monday ordered notice to the State government on a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to implement immediately the Centre’s guidelines of February 2013 on scribes for the visually challenged to write the examinations.
The First Bench consisting of Chief Justice S.K.Kaul and Justice M.M.Sundresh said the counter affidavit should be filed within three weeks. Rejoinder, if any, should be filed within two weeks thereafter. The court posted the matter for further hearing on April 21.
The petitioner, C. Govindakrishnan of Mogappair West, submitted that he was a visually impaired person. The visually challenged write public examinations with the help of scribes. An unqualified scribe could use the wrong notations and symbols and spoil the efforts of the student despite the disadvantage in learning.
The Union Social Justice Ministry had issued a memorandum on February 26, 2013 listing the guidelines for conducting written examination for persons with disabilities. The guidelines included that there should be a uniform and comprehensive policy in the country for persons with disabilities for written examinations.
This policy should take into account improvement in technology and new avenues opened to differently-abled persons thereby providing a level playing filed. The policy should be flexible to accommodate the specific needs on a case-to-case basis.
The petitioner submitted that a panel specifically constituted to select the scribes would benefit the visually .
