MISSION ACCESSIBILITY versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Citation: [2025] 12 S.C.R. 443 · Decided: 03-12-2025 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: VIKRAM NATH · Disposal: Disposed off
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Judgment (excerpt)

[2025] 12 S.C.R. 443 : 2025 INSC 1376
Mission Accessibility 
v. 
Union of India & Ors.
(Writ Petition (C) No. 206 of 2025)
03 December 2025
[Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta,* JJ.]
Issue for Consideration
In the instant petition, the petitioner sought for the modification of 
the timeline for scribe registration in the Civil Services Examination 
conducted by Union Public Service Commission and for permitting 
the use of laptops equipped with Screen Reader Software along 
with accessible digital question papers for eligible candidates.
Headnotes†
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 – Constitution of 
India – Arts.14, 19, 21 – Enforcing the rights of persons with 
disabilities to equal opportunity – Measure of inclusivity – 
Modification of the timeline for scribe registration in the Civil 
Services Examination and for permitting the use of laptops 
equipped with Screen Reader Software along with accessible 
digital question papers for eligible candidates – Directions by 
the Supreme Court:
Held: a) Respondent No.2-UPSC to 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 to be objectively considered 
and disposed of by a reasoned order within three working days 
of receipt of the application; b) Respondent No.2 directed to file a 
comprehensive compliance affidavit 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 
* Author
444
[2025] 12 S.C.R.
Supreme Court Reports
feasibility of ensuring that the said facility is made operational 
and available to all eligible candidates from the next cycle of 
examinations; c) Respondent No.2 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), to 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; d) Respondent No.1-Union of India, 
through the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and 
the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, to extend all 
necessary administrative and technical support to respondent 
No.2 for the expeditious implementation of the above measures 
and shall facilitate coordination with State Governments and 
examination authorities wherever required; e) The implementation 
of these measures shall be undertaken in a manner that ensures 
full accessibility to eligible candidates while maintaining the sanctity, 
confidentiality, and fairness of the examination process. [Para 11]
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 – Constitution 
of India – True measure of inclusivity:
Held: The true measure of inclusivity in governance lies not merely 
in the formulation of progressive policies but in their faithful and 
effective implementation – 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 Arts.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. 
[Para 13]
List of Acts
Constitution of India; Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
List of Keywords
Scribe registration; Civil Services Examination; Timeline for 
scribe registration; Permission for the use of laptops; Screen 
[2025] 12 S.C.R. 
445
Mission Accessibility v. Union of India & Ors.
Reader Software; Digital question papers; Rights of persons with 
disabilities; Equal opportunity; Inclusivity; Examination; Union 
Public Service Commission; Visually impaired can
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