Certificate regarding Physical Limitation to Write for PwBD in Competitive Examination – Standardization: Department of Posts circulates Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)’s Order dated 06.02.2026 for compliance.
No. SC-12/3/2026-RC-DOP
भारत सरकार / Government of India
संचार मंत्रालय / Ministry of Communications
डाक विभाग / Department of Posts
(आरक्षण प्रकोष्ठ/Reservation Cell)
डाक भवन, संसद मार्ग /Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
नई दिल्ली / New Delhi-110001
Date: 23-02-2026
To
1. Chief Post Masters General, All Postal Circles,
2. Directors, All PTCs,
3. CGM, Parcel Directorate,
4. CGM, BD Directorate
Subject: – Standardization of “Certificate regarding Physical Limitation to Write” for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) in Competitive Examination.
Sir/Madam,
I am directed to forward herewith a letter No. 34- 04/2022 dated 06.02.2026 received from Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) (DEPwD), on the subject mentioned above.
2. DEPwD has stated that different examining authorities are issuing certificates in varying formats for medical boards to certify the requirement of scribe and/or compensatory time for PwD candidates. Consequently, candidates with benchmark as well as below- benchmark disabilities are being compelled to repeatedly approach Government hospitals for re- verification and re- issuance of such certificates. This practice is resulting in avoidable hardship, financial burden, and loss of valuable preparation time, particularly for candidates who are employed or residing outside their home districts.
3. DEPwD has requested all examining authorities under Central Government and State Government establishments to accept the standardized certificate, within the validity period mentioned therein, without insisting upon examination- specific formats, and to clearly incorporate these provisions in their recruitment and examination notifications. Further, the format of the certificate prescribed in DEPwD’s Written Examination Guidelines dated 01.08.2025 (for competitive public examinations) be treated as the standard format, once the abeyance on the applicability of the said guidelines is revoked.
4. In view of above, you are requested to comply with the above instructions, and disseminate them to all the postal establishments under your jurisdiction, for strict compliance.
5. This issue with the approval of the Competent Authority.
Yours faithfully.
(Prabha Sharma)
Assistant Director General (PE-II & RC)
Encl: As above.
No. 34-04/2022
Government of India
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)
****
5th Floor, B Wing, Pt. Deendayal Antodaya Bhawan,
CGO Complex, Lodhi Road New Delhi-110003
Dated: 6 February, 2026
To,
1. The Secretary, All Ministries/Departments (as per standard list)
2. The Principal Secretaries of Departments dealing with disability matters in all States/UTs.
Subject: Standardization of “Certificate regarding Physical Limitation to Write” for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) in Competitive Examinations.
Sir/Madam,
This is in reference to the representation received from Shri Antareep Maity, a Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) certified with 70% permanent low vision disability, seeking issuance of a permanent or standardized “Certificate regarding Physical Limitation to Write” to be accepted across examinations conducted by various authorities.
2. In this context, attention is invited to the provisions under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act, 2016) and the Guidelines, issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) vide OM dated 29.08.2018 (for benchmark disabilities) and 10.08.2022 (for below benchmark disabilities). These guidelines stipulate that PwBD/PwD candidates who have physical limitations to write, including those with visual impairments, are entitled to compensatory time not less than 20 minutes per hour of examination, whether using a scribe or not, subject to a certificate from medical board, wherever necessary, as specified in the Guidelines.
3. The validity of such certificates is specified upto 6 months/ as certified by the medical board in terms of the Guidelines issued in 2022. The 2018 Guidelines are however, silent on the period of validity of such certificates. The DEPwD’s written exam Guidelines issued on 01.08.2025 (in abeyance till 31.03.2026) prescribes maximum period of validity of such certificate as one year.
4. As brought out in the representation, different examining authorities are issuing varying certificate formats (e.g., Annexure-A/B/C, Type-1/2/3, etc.) for medical boards to certify use of scribe/compensatory time for PwD candidates. Consequently, candidates with benchmark / be- ow benchmark disabilities are compelled to repeatedly approach government hospitals for re- verification and fresh issuance of such certificates. This practice imposes significant hardship, financial strain, and loss of preparation time—particularly affecting candidates employed or residing outside their home districts.
5. To remove this undue hardship, all examining authorities in r/o Central Government and State Government establishments are requested to accept the standardized certificate, within the validity period as mentioned in the certificate, without insisting on exam-specific formats and to clearly mention these provisions in recruitment and examination notifications. The format of the certificate, as prescribed in the DEPwD’s written exam Guidelines dated 01.08.2025 (for competitive public written exams) may be referred as standard format once the abeyance on the applicability of the Guidelines is revoked.
Encl: as above.
(Debala Bhattacharjee)
Under Secretary to the Govt. of India
(Email: debala.joarder[at]gov.in)
COMMENTS