File plan for screen reader use within 2 months: SC to UPSC

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday underscored the need for digital accessibility and substantive inclusion of persons with disabilities in public examinations, directing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to file within two months a detailed plan of action outlining the timeline, modalities and protocols for deploying screen reader software for visually impaired candidates in competitive examinations.

- Utkarsh Anand

A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said accessibility in examinations cannot remain a “paper promise” and must translate into lived reality through proper technological infrastructure, standardisation and uniformity across examination centres. “The true measure of inclusivity in governance lies not merely in the formulation of progressive policies but in their faithful and effective implementation,” the court emphasised in its judgment.

The bench issued a series of directions to ensure that visually impaired candidates appearing for UPSC and other public recruitment examinations are provided equal opportunity, in line with the constitutional guarantees of equality, dignity and nondiscrimination.