CISCE

Concessions

SPECIAL DIFFICULTIES OF CANDIDATES

The Council is prepared to give special consideration and make necessary arrangements in respect of candidates who are handicapped in any way, which might affect their performance in the ICSE (X) / ISC (XII) Examination.

Special Difficulty Procedure

Disability, illness or other misfortune: When a candidate suffers some injury or bereavement or dire unforeseen circumstance which may adversely affect his or her performance in the examination, the Special Difficulty procedure is used. A form is forwarded to the Council by the Head of the candidates’ school and the candidates’ examination answer script is then given special consideration by a committee before the issue of the results. The Council’s committee does not give a "blanket" concession but treats every case on its merit, for experience has shown that candidates working under similar unusual stress are affected in widely different ways. For this reason the Special Difficulty Form provides for the performance of the affected candidate to be compared with that of his/her other classmates.

Special Arrangements

Depending on the nature and degree of the Special Difficulty the Council is prepared to make special arrangements, subject to the Convener concerned being convinced of the need and being able to provide the necessary facilities, and if the candidate accepts the responsibility for any additional expenses which may be incurred. The following special arrangements are the most common, either singly or in various combinations:

Allowance of additional time. The normal maximum additional allowance is at the rate of 15 minutes in a 1-hour paper, 30 minutes in a 2-hour paper, and 45 minutes in a 3-hour paper, but these allowances may be varied according to circumstances. When a candidates’ speed of writing is affected by his handicap, a greater allowance may be granted in a paper requiring extensive writing such as English Literature or history than in a paper of, for example, the short answer type.
AllowUse of an amanuensis. When a candidate’s performance is affected to such an extent that any reasonable allowance of extra time would not meet the difficulty, the use of an amanuensis may be permitted (with or without extra time). The amanuensis normally would be a fellow pupil, who has not reached the same academic standard in the subject as the candidate. Similar arrangements may be permitted in practical examinations.
The typing of answers by the candidate.
The question paper may be read out, but not explained in any way, to candidates who have defective eyesight or a certified reading disability.
For permission for the candidate to take the examination in a hospital under supervision, the following conditions apply:
- The arrangements are to be approved in advance by the Council.
- A medical certificate must be submitted confirming the need for the concession.
- Satisfactory invigilation must be guaranteed, in consultation with the Convener/Council, and details provided to the Council of the proposed invigilator. The invigilator must not be a member of the candidate’s own family, but any responsible person may be named, preferably a teacher of another Council school.
- Any additional costs incurred are a matter of local arrangement in which the Council plays no part.
- Unless the place of the examination is close enough to the School for question papers to be handed to the candidate after the start of the examination at the main centre, and for the completed script to be collected without undue delay, the Transfer Procedure must be followed, i.e.,
  - The Council must be requested to provide question papers packed separately for the candidate.
  - The answer script must be despatched in accordance with special instructions, which the Supervising Examiner receives from the Council.
  - The Supervising Examiner at the main centre must be instructed NOT to show the candidate as "absent" but to attach a note to the Attendance List explaining that the answer script of such a candidate is being despatched separately.
- If the candidate is suffering from an infectious disease, the school must seek the advice of a registered medical officer about the fumigation of the answer scripts before their despatch to the Council.

Candidates suffering from a Permanent Handicap

In addition to the Special Difficulty Procedure, and special arrangements, further concessions may be made for candidates suffering from a permanent handicap, e.g.

Blind and partially sighted candidates: The Council will permit blind or partially sighted candidates to sit for the examination in all subjects except those that are essentially visual or have an important practical element. The Head of the School concerned has to notify the Council at least six months prior to the date of the examination that a blind/partially sighted candidate is being entered for the Examination and list the subjects, the alternatives within subjects and the special set of books which the candidate is offering. The candidate may have to take the examination under separate arrangements. The question papers may be read out to the candidate. The candidate may be allowed to type the answers on a typewriter or may be provided with a writer, a student of the same school, who is at least a class lower than the candidate.

Such candidates at the Examination may be allowed the use of a computer to type the answers with special permission from the Council.

Spastic candidates: The Council can conduct examinations for spastic candidates. When the entries are being made the Head of the School concerned has to submit a Medical Certificate from a qualified competent medical authority and obtain written permission from the Council for time extension/s. The Council may allow a spastic candidate up to maximum of double the time allotted for the candidate to complete the paper, provided he/she is kept incommunicado during that particular examination, each time.

Such candidates at the Examination may be allowed the use of a computer to type the answers with special permission from the Council.

Deafness or Speech Defect: All cases involving deafness or serious speech defect are treated on their merits under the Special Difficulty Procedure. In Aural/Oral papers, when the circumstances justify it, the Council may be prepared to excuse the candidate from offering the paper concerned. The requirement of offering a second language examination may be waived for a deaf candidate with over 60% degree of deafness.

Candidates suffering from Specific Learning Disabilities:

In cases of candidates suffering from Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, Dyscalculia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), certain concessions/support are admissible, depending on the nature and degree of the disability and on a case-to-case basis.

The concessions/support available are:-

Exemption from the requirement of the study of a second language in cases that warrant such an exemption because of the severe nature of the learning disability of the candidate(s), certified by a competent authority approved by the State/Central Government and acceptable to the Council.

Allowance of additional time as specified above.

Use of an/a Amanuensis/Reader/Reader-cum-Writer as specified above.
- The Question Paper may be read out, but not explained in any way to the candidate(s).
- Arrangements must be made by the Head of the School concerned in consultation with the Convener and the Supervising Examiner for the candidate(s) who has/have been permitted the use of Amanuensis/ Reader/Reader-cum-Writer, by the Council, to write the examination in a separate room adjacent to the main examination hall under the supervision of a/an Special/Assistant Supervising Examiner.

Casio fx-82 MS (Scientific Calculator) is to be used for Mathematical calculations only. Calculators of other makes with similar functions are also permitted.

Heads of Schools concerned must obtain approval from the Council well in advance and provide one copy each of the approval letter to the Convener and the Supervising Examiner at the appropriate time.