The National Testing Agency (NTA) has published guidelines for conducting the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main specifically for persons with disabilities (PwD), following numerous inquiries regarding the provisions for scribes and compensatory time for PwD/PwBD candidates.
Definition of Benchmark Disability
As defined by The Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act, 2016, a “person with benchmark disability” refers to someone with no less than 40% of a specified disability, including those with long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments that, in interaction with various barriers, restrict full societal participation on an equal basis with others.
Provisions for Scribe and Compensatory Time
The NTA’s official statement clarifies, “The facility of a scribe and/or compensatory time will be granted solely to candidates who have difficulty in writing, subject to presenting a certificate confirming the need from a competent medical authority at a government healthcare institution as per proforma at Appendix-II.”
Also Read – JEE Main 2025 Exam Pattern Update: Optional Questions in Section B Removed
Additional Time as Compensatory Time – JEE Main 2025 Guidelines For PwD Candidates
The term ‘extra time’ or ‘additional time’ currently used will be replaced with ‘compensatory time.’ Candidates eligible to use a scribe, reader, or lab assistant will be granted a minimum of 20 extra minutes per hour of the examination. Candidates with benchmark disabilities who qualify for a scribe may receive an additional hour for a three-hour exam, regardless of scribe usage. For exams shorter than an hour, additional time will be provided on a pro-rata basis, but should not be less than 5 minutes and must be in multiples of 5.
