Supreme Court Directs UPSC to Entertain Requests for Change of Scribe Till 18th May 2025 and Pass Reasoned Orders Within Three Working Days. The Court Also Takes Note of UPSC's In-Principle Decision to Introduce Screen Reader Software for Visually Impaired Candidates and Seeks Concrete Implementation Roadmap.

Public interest litigation / writ petition filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by an organisation working for the rights of persons with disabilities, seeking enforcement of equal opportunity rights in the conduct of the Civil Services Examination by UPSC.

The petitioner sought (i) declaration that the mandatory requirement of furnishing scribe details at the time of application submission is arbitrary and unconstitutional; (ii) direction to permit provision of scribe details closer to the examination date; (iii) direction to allow use of laptops with screen reader software and provision of accessible digital question papers for visually impaired candidates; and (iv) modification of the application process for Civil Services Examination, 2025.

The petitioner alleged that the mandatory requirement of furnishing scribe details at the time of application submission for the Civil Services Examination, 2025, violated the rights of persons with disabilities to equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation under Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. It also contended that denial of assistive technology such as screen readers and accessible digital question papers perpetuated discrimination and exclusion.

On 6th May 2025, the Court allowed impleadment of DoPT and directed UPSC to file an affidavit regarding change of scribe. On 9th May 2025, the Court directed UPSC to entertain requests for change of scribe until 18th May 2025 and pass reasoned orders within three working days, and to file an affidavit on the issue of screen reader facility. The matter was listed for further hearing on 16th May 2025 and subsequently on 31st October 2025.

Whether the mandatory requirement of furnishing scribe details at the time of application submission for the Civil Services Examination violates the rights of persons with disabilities under Articles 14, 16, and 21 of the Constitution of India and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Whether denial of the use of laptops with screen reader software and provision of accessible digital question papers to visually impaired candidates constitutes a denial of reasonable accommodation and equal opportunity under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The petitioner argued that the requirement of furnishing scribe details at the application stage is arbitrary and discriminatory, as it fails to provide reasonable accommodation to candidates with disabilities who may face unforeseen circumstances requiring a change of scribe. It was contended that the timeline should be relaxed to allow such details to be furnished closer to the examination date. The petitioner further submitted that visually impaired candidates face significant barriers in taking the examination without assistive technology, and the denial of screen reader software and accessible digital question papers amounts to a denial of equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation. On behalf of the UPSC, it was submitted that under the Civil Services Examination Rules, 2025, certain categories of PwD candidates are permitted a scribe, and details are collected at the application stage for logistical reasons. However, in view of the Court's direction, the UPSC assured that requests for change of scribe would be entertained until 18th May 2025 and decided within three working days. Regarding screen reader facility, the UPSC submitted that while it had in-principle decided to introduce the facility, the necessary infrastructure was not yet in place as the Commission is entirely dependent on state government and district authorities for examination logistics. It assured that after feasibility testing and ensuring integrity of the examination, the facility would be extended at the earliest possible juncture. The DoPT submitted that the issue of screen readers could be examined and a suitable decision could be taken by the Commission in consultation with the Department for PwD, and that no amendment to the CSE Rules, 2025 would be necessary.

Equality under the Constitution demands not uniformity but the removal of barriers that prevent individuals from standing on equal footing. The law must move beyond formal equality to ensure substantive inclusion, transforming rights from written promises into lived realities. The mandatory requirement of furnishing scribe details at the time of application, without flexibility for change, constitutes an unreasonable restriction on the rights of persons with disabilities. The provision of assistive technology such as screen reader software is an essential facet of reasonable accommodation, and its denial would violate the right to equal opportunity. However, the administrative and logistical concerns of the examining body must be balanced, and a concrete plan with a defined timeline is necessary to translate the in-principle decision into effective implementation.

The measure of a just and inclusive society lies not merely in the freedoms it proclaims, but in the opportunities, it ensures for all its citizens to realize their fullest potential. Equality, in its truest sense, demands not uniformity but the removal of barriers that prevent individuals from standing on equal footing. all the requests for change of scribe submitted by the concerned candidates who are entitled for a scribe in terms of the CSE Rules, 2025 shall be entertained till 18th May, 2025. The Commission shall immediately, upon receipt of such application, consider the same objectively and communicate the decision thereof by a reasoned order to the candidate/s concerned within a period of three working days from the date of receipt of the application/s.

The writ petition was filed in 2025. On 06.05.2025, the Court allowed impleadment of DoPT and directed UPSC to file an affidavit regarding change of scribe and to have a dialogue with the DoPT. On 09.05.2025, the Court directed UPSC to entertain requests for change of scribe until 18.05.2025 and pass reasoned orders within three working days, and to file a specific affidavit on the use of screen readers. UPSC filed an additional affidavit dated 12.09.2025 stating in-principle decision to introduce screen reader software but highlighting infrastructural constraints. On 31.10.2025, the Court heard the parties and directed the matter to be listed for further consideration, emphasizing the need for a concrete timeline for implementation of the screen reader facility.

• Constitution of India, 1950: Articles 14, 16, 21
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016: