CBSE to allow use of calculators in exams for children with special needs

Students of the central board of secondary education (CBSE) schools, who are suffering from dyscalculia, can use simple basic calculators during their board examinations from this year.

The CBSE has decided to allow use of simple calculator by such students in their Class X and Class XII board examinations set to begin from February 15.

Only those students with dyscalculia will get permission to use calculator during examinations who had registered for the upcoming board examinations under children with special needs (CWSN) category.

Anyone suffering from dyscalculia faces difficulty in learning numbers and mathematical concepts.

“Schools may please bring this information to the notice of the students with learning disabilities who are actually in need of calculator during examination so that they can benefit from this initiative of the CBSE,” the board's controller of examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj said in a circular.

The board had prohibited use of calculators by the CWSN students in April last year while announcing a number of exemptions/ concessions applicable to them during board examinations for Class X and Class XII.

With the CBSE relaxing the examination rules, parents of the students with dyscalculia can make a request to their respective school principals seeking approval for use of simple calculator during board examinations.

The last date for submitting request along with valid medical certificate for permission to use calculator during examinations is January 28.

Principals of the schools are required to send the students' request to the respective regional offices of the board with their recommendations by February 2 after verifying the students' case from their teachers.

“Regional offices of the board will grant approval and convey it to the respective schools and examination superintendents by February 10. Candidates who will request without appropriate certificate will not be allowed/permitted to use calculator during examinations,” the controller of examinations said.