The Supreme Court of India has granted the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) a period of one week to submit a comprehensive plan outlining how it intends to implement screen-reader facilities for visually impaired candidates appearing in its examinations. The bench has scheduled the next hearing on the matter for 23 February 2026
SC’s Accessibility Push for Visually Impaired UPSC Aspirants
In its earlier ruling of 3 December 2025, the Supreme Court had emphasised the need to make national competitive exams more accessible to persons with disabilities. The Court noted that rights of differently-abled individuals in education and recruitment settings stem from constitutional guarantees of equality, dignity, and non-discrimination, not benevolence. The top court had directed UPSC to include clear provisions in all examination notifications allowing eligible candidates to request a change of scribe up to at least seven days before the exam date, ensuring flexibility and fairness in the process.
What the Compliance Affidavit Must Cover?
UPSC has now been asked to file an affidavit detailing the proposed plan of action, timeline, and modalities for deploying screen-reader software across exams conducted by the commission. The plan must set out:
- How screen-reader software will be tested, standardised, and validated for use by visually impaired candidates.
- Steps to make the facility operational and available for eligible candidates as early as the next exam cycle.
- The method and schedule for the deployment of the required digital infrastructure
During Monday’s hearing, UPSC’s counsel informed the Court that the commission was complying with the directives but required additional time to prepare the detailed affidavit. The Bench accordingly granted one week for UPSC to place the compliance affidavit on record
Next Hearing and Broader Context
The matter has been posted for further hearing on 23 February 2026, where the Supreme Court will review UPSC’s affidavit and progress on implementing these reforms. Disability rights advocacy groups, including Mission Accessibility, had filed petitions seeking greater use of assistive technologies and more flexible scribe policies in competitive examinations. The court’s directives reflect ongoing efforts to balance exam security with accessibility. Observers believe the Supreme Court’s decisions could set important precedents for how other major recruitment and competitive exam bodies in India, not just UPSC, address accessibility for persons with disabilities.