From Charging Lakhs to Offering Proxy Candidates, Is Exam 'Scribe
Service' Turning Into 'Business'?
New Delhi, India
Scribes charge from Rs 2,000 to rs 5 lakh for exam (Representational Image)
Scribes charge from Rs 2,000 to rs 5 lakh for exam (Representational Image)
Lack of scribes for candidates with visual impairment has led to a
rampant illegal ‘scribe business’ across the country, activists demand
national scribe banks.
Help offered to visually impaired students in form of scribes is
turning into a business, where on one hand deserving students find it
difficult to get a scribe, on the other hand, many ‘coaching
institutes’ offer scribes as ‘proxy’ candidates to solve papers on
behalf of students in exchange for lakhs of rupees. Depending on the
exams, several visually impaired candidates have reportedly been asked
anywhere from Rs 1 lakh to 5 lakh from scribes.
The availability of scribes in exchange for a large amount of money
has made seeking payments in return for helping in exams an unsaid
norm. This puts candidates, especially those from low-income
backgrounds at a disadvantage.
In 2021, a 31-year-old person with visual impairment, Satvir Jogi, had
to miss his exam as he failed to find a scribe despite multiple
attempts. For Jogi, who has been applying for several government exams
in the last few years, arranging a scribe has always been a challenge.
“Due to a paucity of reading material for visually impaired candidates
— online and in physical form — even the preparation for an exam is
more difficult when compared to visually-abled candidates. To top it
off, we have the biggest challenge of finding scribes. How are these
exams fair and equal for us?” says Jogi.
He adds, “I have given from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 on multiple occasions
to scribes to write my paper. If a visually impaired candidate is
lucky, then they sometimes get a volunteer scribe on time, otherwise,
scribes demand money as per their wish for appearing for exams.”
SCRIBES ALSO BEING USED AS PROXY CANDIDATES
Lack of resources and limited vacancies for the visually impaired has
made many take the illegal route as well. SK Singh, a rights activist
for people with visual impairment and secretary of the National
Association for the Blind, claimed that the scribe business is an open
secret now. It stems from a lack of scribe resources and other
challenges, including not enough material to prepare for exams and
fewer job vacancies for people with visual impairment.
They demand anywhere from Rs 2,000 to just appear for the exam to Rs 5
lakh to clear it. With the demand for more money, scribes also give
services to prepare on the behalf of the candidate and appear for the
exam, alleged SK Singh, a rights activist for people with visual
impairment and secretary of the National Association for the Blind.
“Unemployment rates are at an all-time high and everyone wants to
secure a job. Several scribes have found this opportunity to make
money out of it. They demand anywhere from Rs 2,000 to just appear for
the exam to Rs 5 lakh to clear it. With the demand for more money,
scribes also give services to prepare on the behalf of the candidate
and appear for the exam.”
‘WITH OUR SCRIBES DON’T WORRY ABOUT PASSING EXAM’
To get to know some of the ‘proxy scribes’, News18 tried to contact a
few of them. One such person, who runs a coaching center in Mumbai,
told News18.com, “We have an academy. You only have to give us the
syllabus and make us meet the candidate. We are quite experienced at
it, so you don’t have to worry about passing the exam.”
He said, from teachers to students his academy has scribes candidates
of all ages and for various exams.
Speaking about the fee charged for being the scribe, he said it
depends on the exam. “While the fee is less for the non-technical
exams, the fee will be more for technical exams. But don’t worry about
the fee, we have an installment system also. A candidate can pay even
after they get a job,” he said.
‘NO COMPLAINTS RECEIVED OF SCRIBE BUSINESS’
The authorities, however, claim to not be aware of any ‘scribe
business’ going on in exams.
When News18 contacted the Department of Empowerment of Persons with
Disabilities, which is under the Ministry of Social Justice &
Empowerment, an official, on condition of anonymity, said, “Till now
we have not received any complaints of ‘scribe business’."
“In the future, however, if we get any such complaints we will inquire
about it. Meanwhile, if there are reports of policy being misused,
then the state government can inquire into it.”
The official added, “The policy is made for the betterment of the
candidates, but there are people who might take advantage of the
loophole, but there are bodies to look into it.”
LACK OF CONSENSUS AMONG AUTHORITIES OVER QUALIFICATION, AVAILABILITY OF
SCRIBE
The authorities have allegedly also failed to come to a consensus
about implementing guidelines for availing of scribe facilities. While
the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Employment
published the Guidelines for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities in
August 2018 give candidates the option to either bring their own
scribes or request one from the exam-conducting body, in many cases
authorities deny candidates to bring their own scribe.
In the recently held TS TET exam, many candidates were uncertain till
hours before exams whether or not they will get a scribe. Candidates
from different districts of Telangana said that their admit cards
mentioned that candidates with 40 per cent disability can avail
scribes, however, there was no mention if they will be provided with a
scribe by the exam conducting body or if the students can get their
own scribe for the exam. The confusion escalated among the candidates
when the TSTET helpdesk set up in different districts of the State
provided mixed information to the candidates.
News18 tried to call some of the district helpdesk numbers to verify
the claims. An operator from the Hyderabad helpdesk said that
candidates will have to go to the exam centre a day before the exams
to inform the administration that they require a scribe and then they
will be allocated a scribe. Meanwhile, the Khammam helpdesk said the
candidates can get their scribes but they have to be only Class 9
qualified. However, Hyderabad’s helpdesk claimed that candidates
cannot get their scribe and only the exam-conducting body (Department
of School Education) will provide a scribe to candidates with
disabilities.
The TET convenor Radha Reddy denied the claims of confusion among the
candidates. She told New18, “There should be no confusion among the
candidates as these exams happen every year and candidates should know
that students cannot get their own scribes. Those who fit the
disability criteria will be provided with a scribe at the exam
center."
While guidelines by Ministry clearly state that candidates have option
of bringing own scribe to seeking one from exam conducting bodies,
rules often change at state-level.
On informing the qualifications of scribes TSTET convenor said that
scribes will only be class 9 pass and inter-pass. The guidelines
issued by Ministry, however, suggest that scribes should not be more
than the minimum qualification criteria of the examination. However,
the qualification of the scribe/reader should always be matric or
above.
Similar incidents of confusion over the scribes’ availability and
qualification are reported in multiple educational and recruitment
exams.
DEMAND FOR A NATIONAL, STATE SCRIBE POOL
Activists have been demanding the government create scribe banks so
that any examinee can readily avail of certified scribes on a
voluntary basis. Under a watch, this can also put a stop to proxy
candidate business.
Activists cite the lack of Central or State-regulated scribe pools,
which can be accessed by anyone, to the burgeoning illegal scribe
business. To add to their woes, guidelines related to scribes are
unclear across the country.
SK Singh, says, “The government had come up with the qualification
guidelines to curb exam malpractices, but that is only working against
students. There can be multiple ways to curb malpractices. Why is the
onus not on the invigilators to check if the candidate is using the
help of their scribe or not? Putting a cap on the scribe’s
qualification curbs visually impaired and other candidates with
disabilities to appear for exams.”
The General Secretary of the National Platform for the Rights of the
Disabled, Muralidharan, said that these norms would only make it more
difficult for the candidates to find a scribe. He said, “If a national
and state scribe bank will be available, this will automatically curb
such practices.”
Founder of the All India Conference of the Blind, J L Paul, said,
“Under Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, all visually
impaired people have the right to education and the government should
make sure that they get it. There are no proper efforts made by the
government to make sure that all visually impaired students get a
scribe. For this, a national and a state scribe bank will be very
beneficial.”
Calling the scribe qualification law draconian, another visually
impaired student Animesh, who has done his MA in International
Relations from Christ University Bangalore, said, “The government has
these rules to avoid malpractice but at the same time our
infrastructure is not that well developed. So first the government
should develop a network and then come up with such guidelines. Like
Ola and Uber, there should be online scribe pool apps through which we
can check the scribe’s qualifications and practise with them.”
This story is produced as part of the Laadli Media Fellowship 2022
https://www.news18.com/news/education-career/form-charging-lakhs-to-offering-proxy-candidates-is-exam-scribe-service-turning-into-business-5624815.html
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