Civil Services Exam : Supreme Court Seeks Views On Union, UPSC On Plea Of Persons With Disabilities To Have Option To Change Scribe

The Supreme Court on February 18 issued notice to the Union Government and the UPSC on a writ petition filed by persons with disabilities appearing for the Civil Services Examination, 2025 (CSE) seeking option to change the name of scribe given in the registration form.

Advocate Rahul Bajaj, for the petitioners, submitted that the CSE form asks for details of the scribe a few months before the examination and once the details are submitted, it cannot be changed. 

Before a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, Bajaj submitted: "We are raising three grievances on behalf of persons with disabilities appearing for Civil Services Exams, 2025. This is where I am seeking some interim relief-they have been asked to share the details of their scribe by the deadline of 18th February when the Prelims exam is on 25th May and the Mains exam will be another three months later. So, obtaining such a long term commitment from scribe, who are doing this as a voluntary service, is proving extraordinarily difficult for a large number of who have written to us, as the members of the organisation."

Another issue raised by Bajaj was that persons with disabilities cannot take exams using screen reading software, Access With Speech (JAWS), as was allowed by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan for students appearing for the All India Bar Association exam.

While the Court issued notice to the Union and the Union Public Service Commission, it declined to grant any interim relief at this stage. Justice Nath said: "We may consider your request, let the other side come. But for the time being, give details of one of the scribes. Ultimately, if you succeed, you will have the option to provide an alternative scribe. Latest date will be given where you can submit the details. We are not recording anything. We are issuing notice, calling upon the UPSC and Union and give their response. Issue notice, returnable within 2 weeks...If we allow you to have multiple options of scribe, we fix a date one week prior to exam. We will consider."

The Court will hear the matter on March 4. 

Case Details: MISSION ACCESSIBILITY v. UNION OF INDIA AND ANR.|Diary No. 8097-2025