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Every year, lakhs of candidates sit for various competitive examinations in pursuit of a job with the Railways. Many of these candidates belong to the category of persons with disabilities. Now, however, good news has emerged for disabled youths currently preparing for railway recruitment. Specifically, the Ministry of Railways has temporarily postponed—until June 30—major changes slated for the lakhs of disabled youths appearing in railway examinations. This means that for the upcoming Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) NTPC Undergraduate (CBT-1), Assistant Loco Pilot, and Junior Engineer examinations, candidates with disabilities will be able to take the test accompanied by their own assistant.

Ministry of Railways Outlines New Rules

In this regard, the Ministry of Railways has provided clarification. The Ministry stated that new rules have been formulated to make the recruitment process more transparent and modern. Under these new rules, instead of bringing their own “scribe” (assistant), candidates with disabilities will be required to utilize assistance from a “scribe pool” provided by the examination agency. In other words, they will have to select an assistant from a panel designated by the Railways. Furthermore, the examination process will involve the use of technology and specialized software.

Provision for Agency-Provided Assistants

It is worth noting that this new system, introduced by the Railways, includes a provision for the agency to provide assistants; however, the necessary preparations for this arrangement are not yet complete. Meanwhile, the provision granting candidates with disabilities an additional 20 minutes per hour during the examination will continue unchanged, just as before. However, it should be noted that establishing the requisite digital infrastructure and creating the government-managed “scribe pool” across examination centers nationwide is taking time. Consequently, this new rule will not be implemented until June 30. CPRO Shashikant Tripathi stated that, in accordance with the Board’s directives, candidates with disabilities will continue to receive the same facilities during examinations as they did previously. Nevertheless, once the necessary preparations are fully completed, the old system will be discontinued.