While observing that the rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities are not acts of benevolence, but expressions of the constitutional promise of equality and non-discrimination enshrined in the Constitution, the Supreme Court has asked the Union Public Service Commission to formulate uniform guidelines and protocols for the use of Screen Reader Software and other assistive technologies to ensure accessibility, and security of the examination.

The Apex Court was considering a writ petition instituted by Mission Accessibility, an organisation engaged in the advancement of the rights of persons with disabilities, for enforcing the rights of persons with disabilities to equal opportunity guaranteed to them under the Constitution of India and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The Division Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta directed, “Respondent No. 2-UPSC shall, in coordination with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) and the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), formulate uniform guidelines and protocols for the use of Screen Reader Software and other assistive technologies to ensure standardisation, accessibility, and security of the examination process across all or identified examination centres, as deemed fit by it.”

The Bench also stated, “The rights guaranteed to persons with disabilities are not acts of benevolence, but expressions of the constitutional promise of equality, dignity, and non-discrimination enshrined in Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution of India. The Union Public Service Commission, being the premier constitutional body entrusted with upholding the values of merit and fairness in public recruitment, must ensure that its processes are accessible, transparent, and sensitive to the needs of every segment of society.”

Factual Background

The Court had earlier allowed the impleadment of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) as a respondent and directed the counsel representing respondent UPSC to have a dialogue with counsel representing respondent DoPT regarding the apprehensions and concerns of the candidates appearing in Civil Services Examination. The Court on May 9, 2025, had directed that all requests for change of scribe by eligible candidates under the CSE Rules, 2025 shall be entertained by respondent UPSC. UPSC was further directed to file a specific affidavit clarifying its position on the use of computers with screen readers by PwBD/PwD candidates in the forthcoming preliminary examination.

During the course of hearing on October 31, 2025, the attention of the Court was drawn to the additional affidavit filed by the UPSC stating that it had comprehensively reviewed the entire issue and in-principle, resolved to introduce the facility of Screen Reader Software for visually impaired candidates appearing in various examinations conducted under its aegis.

Arguments

It was the case of the petitioner that it was satisfied with the in-principle decision taken by the respondent UPSC to introduce Screen Reader Software for the benefit of candidates belonging to the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities/Persons with Disabilities (PwBD/PwD) category. However, it was contended that the said decision did not have a concrete plan of implementation.

It was the case of the Commission that it is presently in active consultation and coordination with the State Authorities, the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD), and the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, with a view to finalising the technical standards, operational modalities, and procedural safeguards necessary for the introduction of Screen Reader Software and also for ensuring that question papers are made available in accessible digital formats for eligible candidates.

Reasoning

The Bench took note of UPSC’s conscious progressive decision to extend the facility of Screen Reader Software to visually impaired candidates in various examinations to be conducted by it, thereby recognising and advancing the rights of candidates with disabilities to equal opportunity and accessibility in public examinations. It was further noticed that while the policy decision had been taken, the mechanism and modalities for its effective implementation remained to be streamlined and operationalised.

Considering UPSC’s dependence upon external infrastructure and manpower, coupled with the absence of a clearly delineated roadmap or timeline for establishing the requisite technological framework across examination centres, the Bench stated that the same underscored the need for institutional coordination and phased execution. “This Court, therefore, finds it imperative that the creases in the process for implementation be duly ironed out through concrete planning, inter-agency collaboration, and the establishment of uniform standards, so as to ensure that the laudable objective of accessibility does not remain confined to paper but is translated into practical reality in forthcoming examination cycles”, the order read.

In order to ensure that the decision taken by UPSC is effectively translated into action and the rights of candidates belonging to the PwBD/PwD category are fully safeguarded, the Bench directed, “Respondent No. 2-UPSC shall ensure that in every notification for the examinations conducted by it, a clear provision is incorporated permitting candidates eligible for a scribe to request a change of scribe up to at least seven days prior to the date of the examination, and such requests shall be objectively considered and disposed of by a reasoned order within three working days of receipt of the application.”

“Respondent No. 2-UPSC shall file a comprehensive compliance affidavit within a period of two months from the date of this order, clearly delineating the proposed plan of action, timeline, and modalities for the deployment and use of Screen Reader Software for visually impaired candidates in the examinations to be conducted by it. The affidavit shall also specify the steps proposed for testing, standardisation, and validation of the software and related infrastructure across all or designated examination centres, and shall further indicate the feasibility of ensuring that the said facility is made operational and available to all eligible candidates from the next cycle of examinations.”

The Bench ordered,“Respondent No. 2-UPSC shall file a comprehensive compliance affidavit within a period of two months from the date of this order, clearly delineating the proposed plan of action, timeline, and modalities for the deployment and use of Screen Reader Software for visually impaired candidates in the examinations to be conducted by it. The affidavit shall also specify the steps proposed for testing, standardisation, and validation of the software and related infrastructure across all or designated examination centres, and shall further indicate the feasibility of ensuring that the said facility is made operational and available to all eligible candidates from the next cycle of examinations.”

Cause Title: Mission Accessibility v. Union of India (Neutral Citation: 2025 INSC 1376)

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Justice Vikram NathJustice Sandeep Mehta

Tulip Kanth

Assistant Editor

Tulip Kanth is an Assistant Editor at Verdictum having over 5 years of experience in the field of legal journalism and editing. She extensively covers judgments of the Supreme Court, High Courts as well as Tribunals. She has previously worked with a legal publishing website where she oversaw the work of other editors and has also created updates on notifications of different Government Ministries. She holds an English Honours Degree from SGTB Khalsa College, Delhi University and has completed her LLB course with specialisation in Corporate Law from Amity University.