The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has issued guidelines to address challenges faced by students with special needs. The compensatory time allotted to these students during board exams has been extended from 15 to 20 minutes, and they will now receive attendance relaxation on a case-by-case basis.
The guideline document is titled ‘CISCE Guidelines for Comprehensive Support Measures in Examinations: Concessions and Benefits for Diverse Needs Learners.’
The board said that they aim to foster a more inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students by accommodating various learning needs.
Under the new guidelines, the board will provide special accommodations for students with Autism Spectrum Conditions, including early access to examination rooms, designated seating, and arrangements for fostering a connection with their assigned reader/reader cum writer/writer/adult prompter. Furthermore, students with Autism Spectrum Conditions will be offered earplugs/earmuffs to help manage environmental distractions.
This initiative by the council reflects a commitment to recognizing the varied learning needs in schools and intends to broaden the range of support provided to students during examinations.
Stressing the tradition of offering concessions and benefits to students with benchmark disabilities as outlined in the RPWD Act 2016, CISCE declared that acknowledging the changing landscape of learning needs and the shortcomings of exclusively relying on disability classifications mentioned in the Act, they have made a significant decision to extend the scope of its Guidelines to include learning needs linked to disability conditions not falling under benchmark disability status, and Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF).
(Picture – Wisdom Academy)
