Exemptions available during NIOS exams

Persons with disability need special attention during the examinations and evaluation of their answer scripts. The general relaxations with regard to NIOS examination are as follows:

1.A candidate who wishes to avail the concession in Examination is required to produce a Medical Disability Certificate of a Govt. doctor from a recognized Hospital/Medical Institution indicating the nature of his/her disability and the extent of the disability.

2. In case of candidate with Learning Disability (LD), Diagnostic Certificate from the Clinical Psychologist, Educational or school Psychologist, Neuro psychologist, Specialist in Learning Disabilities, Special Educator (MEd.) Educational Therapist are acceptable. The Diagnostician should have appropriate qualification to provide a diagnosis of learning disabilities and must be registered with Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)/Medical Council of India (MCI) or National Institutes and Universities dealing with disabilities, or Cell for the Education of Disabled (CED) of NIOS.

3. While appearing at the examinations, the candidate will write his/her disability on the top of the answer script, which will also be authenticated by the Centre Superintendent.

4. Such candidates will be provided general relaxations and also the facility of amanuensis according to their disabilities.

5. In case of candidates using services of scribe/ amanuensis, not more than two scribes/amanuensis should be allowed in one examination room.

6. The Centre Superintendent will make arrangements to seat a maximum of four candidates in a separate room with a separate invigilator for supervision.

Guidelines for the Provision of Amanuensis/Scribe/Writer

Amanuensis/Scribe/writer can be provided

1. In case of candidates with Visual Impairment, Learning Disability, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation.

2. Polio affected candidates and those in case of hand injury may be provided with the facility of amanuensis/scribe.

3. In the case of sudden illness rendering the candidate unable to write the examinations. This illness should be duly certified by a Medical Officer of the rank not lower than an Assistant Surgeon of Government/ Municipal Hospital/Dispensary.

4. In case of accident involving injury rendering the candidate unable to write, the nature of accident and the inability of the candidate to write should be duly certified by a Medical Officer of the rank not lower than an Assistant Surgeon of Government/Municipal Hospital or Dispensary.

Eligibility for Amanuensis

1. The amanuensis should be a student of a class lower than that of the candidate with disability appearing at the examination.

2. The amanuensis should not be related to the examinee.

3. The Centre Supdt. will ensure the above at i) & ii) and obtain a certificate to this effect.

4. The Centre Superintendent of the Examination Centre shall keep a list of suitable amanuensis from the school, as far as possible forward the same immediately to the Regional Head of the region and submit a report giving full particulars of the candidates and of the amanuensis for consideration & approval.

5. Service of Amanuensis can be availed for theory as well as in practical where writing is involved and not for the practical work.

Fee for Amanuensis

A fee of Rs. 50/- per session of examination will be given to the amanuensis by the Superintendent of the Examination Centre.

3. Disability-wise Relaxations

a) Locomotor/Orthopedic Disabilities:

1. Candidates with Locomotor/Orthopedic Disabilities are to be considered as any non-disabled candidate and they will not require any special provision during the Examination.

2. Polio affected candidates and those in case of hand injury, inability in motor coordination may be provided with the facility of amanuensis/scribe.

b) Visually Impaired Candidates

1. Visually impaired candidates may be allowed to use amanuensis, or appear at the examination using Brailler Typewriter, or computer. When the student takes examination using Brailler, NIOS will seek the assistance of organizations for the Blind to transcribe the papers into print and the regular examiners will evaluate the papers along with other papers. The student should arrange to bring Brailers, Typewriter, Computer, etc., for examination purpose.

2. Equipment such as talking calculator, abacus, Taylor frame and geometry drawing kit may be allowed in the Examination Hall.

3. Skill based project may be given to the visually impaired candidates as an alternative for practical.

4. For courses requiring computer skills, the equipment needs to be provided by the Examination Centre for conducting Examination.

c) Hearing Impaired Candidates

1. Interpreter (sign language person) may be allowed in the Examination Room to help the hearing impaired candidates to understand the instructions.

2. The norms of payment for the interpreter will be similar to that of a scribe.

3. One interpreter may be adequate for each examination centre. The Centre Superintendent may take decision regarding appointment of an interpreter.

d) Multiple Disability/Cerebral Palsy

1. Computers with adapted hardware like trackball instead of mouse, augmentative communication boards may be allowed. Use of Calculator may also be allowed for candidate with Dyscalculia. Candidates will have to arrange for their own tools and equipments.

2. Adapted chair, table, bed, etc, may be allowed into the Examination room in the case of severely disabled children who need them.

3.Provision may also be made for reading out the question wherever

necessary.

e) Mentally Challenged candidates

1. Computers with adapted hardware like trackball instead of mouse,

augmentative communication boards and calculators may be allowed.

2. Adapted chair, table, bed may be allowed into Examination Room depending on the needs.

3. Provision may also be made for reading out the question to the candidate.

4. The project work may be allowed instead of all practical subjects.

f) Learning Disabled candidates

Relaxation/s will be provided as per the types of impairment and symptoms described in the table given below:

Learning Disability	Area of Impact	Symptoms	Relaxations Required
Reading Disorder or Dyslexia	Oral and written language	Difficulty in listening, speaking, reading and writing; Reads letters or words transposed; omits letters or words when reading	Reader/scribe, Extended time, Computer
Mathematics Disorder or Dyscalculia	Math	Difficulty performing calculations; Difficulty with numbers; Spatial problem; Difficulty placing number into vertical columns.	Calculator, Reader/ Scribe, Computer, Extended Time
Disorder of Written Expression or Dysgraphia	Writing	Illegible handwriting; Difficulty writing within a defined space; Letter reversals; Letter transposition; Omission of letters or words; Poor spelling	Reader/Scribe, Extended Time, Computer
Motor Disorders or Dyspraxia	Body Coordination	Problems with muscles control and coordination; Apparent clumsiness.	Reader/Scribe, Extended Time, Computer
Sensory/ processing/ ADHD/ ADD	Perception, Auditory & Visuals	People with SPD misinterpret everyday sensory information, such as touch, sound and movement. They may feel bombarded by information, they may seek out intense sensory experiences, or they may have other symptoms.	Separate Room, Calculator, Reader/Scribe, Computer, Extended Time, Break

4. Other Relaxations

1. Extended/Extra Time of 20 minutes per hour will be allotted to the certified candidates with disabilities. In case of need for the frequent break, not more than 10 Min. of break after every one hour may be given.
2. Candidates with poor hand function/motor coordination and having speech disorders will have scribes/writer/amanuensis who can understand them (scribe should be other than the subject teacher, parents, siblings)
3. Candidates having minimum hand functioning/ motor coordination with speech disorders will be allowed to use the computer for the examination.
4. Wheel chair user and candidates using additional aids and appliances will be given facilities to write the examination in the ground floor, especially where there are no lift or ramp facilities are available.
5. Candidates with special needs, registered under the SAIED will have the same examination centre with disable friendly infrastructure/barrier free environment and concern professionals can help them in case of need. During examination the invigilators deputed by NIOS will monitor the proceeding of examination.
6. If any a candidate with disability is not covered above and they approach the Centre Superintendent for any relaxation, the case may be referred to the concern Regional Director, and Director (Evaluation), NIOS, New Delhi,