Supreme Court Allows Visually Impaired Candidates To Appear In MP Judicial Service Main Exam

SC allowed visually impaired candidates who have received the minimum qualifying marks to take part in the main examination for Civil Judge Class-II.

The Court has ordered that accommodations should be made for these examinees. ( Image Source :Getty )

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed visually impaired candidates who have received the minimum qualifying marks to take part in the main examination for Civil Judge Class-II in Madhya Pradesh. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud allowed the visually-impaired candidates to send e-mails with their roll numbers in the preliminary examination and marks and certificates for fulfilling the benchmark disability by 10 pm on Saturday (March 23).

"While forwarding an e-mail on the above e-mail ID, if any candidate requires any specific accommodation in terms of lights and lamps at the main examination, this shall be indicated to the high court so as to enable it to do so.

"On receiving the above e-mail, the high court shall verify all details and issue admit cards online through e-mail by March 25, 2024. On receiving the admit card, the above candidates will be permitted to sit for the main examination without insisting on physically filling in a form for the main examination," the bench said.

The court said the participation of the candidates in the main examination, scheduled to be held on March 30 and 31, will be subject to the outcome of the present proceedings and without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties.

"The registrar general of the high court shall ensure that due publicity is given to this order on the website of the high court and in newspapers," it said.

The apex court said since the high court has stated that in view of the absence of reservation, it does not have specific information with respect to the number of candidates in the preliminary examination who suffer from the benchmark disability of visual impairment, the registrar general shall ensure that WhatsApp messages are sent to all the candidates who have cleared the preliminary examination.

"The high court shall make arrangements to permit a scribe for each visually-impaired candidate who will appear for the main examination. Such candidates shall also be given additional time to complete the examination at the rate of 20 minutes per hour of the examination.

"Arrangements made for the visually-impaired candidates shall be such so as to ensure that they are allowed a separate space to obviate inconvenience to other candidates who are taking the same examination," the bench said.

Taking note of a letter addressed to the CJI by the mother of a visually-impaired candidate who aspires for appointment in the judicial service in Madhya Pradesh, the top court had turned it into a PIL and decided to examine the Madhya Pradesh judicial services rules that bar visually-impaired candidates from being appointed as judicial officers in the state. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)