New Delhi: From this year, the Central Board of Secondary Examination or CBSE will allow Children with Special Needs or CSWN appearing for its Class 10 or 12 annual exams to use basic calculators, according to an official circular. The board exam for Class 10 students will begin on February 15 and conclude on March 20. The board exam for Class 12 students will also begin on February 15 and conclude on March 30.
The facility is part of the Board's efforts to extend concessions to Person with Benchmark Disabilities for Class 10 and 16 examinations conducted by the CBSE in accordance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act -2016, the circular said.
"In addition to Concession/Exemptions being extended as contained in circular no CBSE/COORD/112233/2019 Dated 12th April 2019, Board has decided to facilitate such students by permitting use of Simple Basic Calculator during Class X & Class XII Board's Examinations," the circular said.
Calculator will only be allowed to those students who have already been registered under CWSN category for Class 10 and Class 12 examinations 2020, the circular by Controller of Examinations, CBSE, Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj said.
To avail the facility, the students have to give a request to the schools by January 28 and principals will have to forward it to concerned regional office of the CBSE.
"Candidates who will request without appropriate certificate will not be allowed to use calculator during examinations," Dr Bhardwaj said.
The Board had in 2018 allowed specially abled students to use computer or laptops to write their exams.
The Board, in a related development, has also rleased the admit cards for both regular and private candidates who have registered for the annual examinations.