The Staff Selection Commission (SSC) has announced significant updates to the disability certification and scribe norms for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD). As per the new guidelines, the Commission has adopted the revised disability certificate formats issued by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD). Under this revision, Form 5 will now be used for candidates with single disability, while Form 6 will apply to those with multiple disabilities. These formats replace the earlier Forms 5, 6, and 7, which were previously used across SSC recruitment notifications.
According to the official SSC notice, candidates appearing for examinations whose notifications were issued after October 16, 2024—and for which the recruitment process is still underway—may submit their disability certificate either in the revised formats (Form V and Form VI) or in the earlier versions. This provision ensures flexibility during the transition to the updated system.
In a recent move aimed at improving accessibility, SSC has also reinstated the ‘own scribe’ facility for PwBD candidates. This reinstatement applies to all examinations notified on or before December 31, following clarifications received from the DEPwD. However, the facility is subject to stricter compliance requirements. Under the revised rules, a scribe’s age must align with the qualification level of the examination: for matriculation and higher secondary (Class 12) level tests, the scribe should generally not be older than 20 years, while for graduate-level examinations, the scribe must not exceed 22 years.
Furthermore, Aadhaar-based authentication has been made compulsory for all scribes registered under the “Own Scribe” facility. If a scribe fails to complete Aadhaar verification at the examination venue, the candidate will be required to either use a scribe provided by SSC or appear for the exam without one.
The Commission has urged candidates to review the updated guidelines carefully and ensure compliance with the revised certification and scribe regulations for upcoming examinations.