{"h1":"Exam concessions and extra time for your child with special needs","faq":[{"a":"Common concessions include extra time (often 20 minutes per hour), a scribe or reader, use of a calculator or assistive technology, exemption from certain subjects or spelling penalties, large-print papers, and a separate, quieter room. The exact set is matched to your child's specific barrier and to the rules of their examination board.","q":"What exam concessions can my child with special needs get in India?"},{"a":"Most boards ask for a disability certificate from a government-recognised medical authority, or for learning difficulties, an assessment report from a recognised institution, along with a recommendation from your child's school. Keep copies of everything and submit them together.","q":"What documents do I need to apply for exam concessions?"},{"a":"As early as possible — ideally at the start of the academic year. Boards such as CBSE and ICSE set deadlines well before exams, so applying late can mean concessions are not granted in time.","q":"When should I apply for exam concessions?"},{"a":"Yes. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 establishes the right to reasonable accommodation in education and examinations. Individual boards publish their own guidelines on how concessions are applied.","q":"Are exam concessions a legal right in India?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"how-do-i-get-exam-concessions-and-extra-time-for-my-child-with-special-needs-in-school","title":"How do I get exam concessions and extra time for my child with special needs?","entity":{"key":"exam-concession","kind":"rights","name":"Exam Concessions","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Plan","value":"plan"},{"kind":"route","label":"Special-Education","value":"special-education"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Mainstream Inclusion","value":"mainstream_inclusion"}],"parent":null,"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-education-rights-does-my-child-with-a-disability-have","title":"What education rights does my child with a disability have?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-do-i-get-exam-accommodations-for-my-child","title":"How do I get exam accommodations for my child?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"can-my-child-get-a-scribe-and-extra-time-in-exams","title":"Can my child get a scribe and extra time in exams?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"can-my-child-get-extra-time-and-a-scribe-in-board-exams","title":"Can my child get extra time and a scribe in board exams?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-support-is-available-for-learning-difficulties-at-school","title":"What support is available for learning difficulties at school?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-accommodations-is-my-child-legally-entitled-to-in-school","title":"What accommodations is my child legally entitled to in school?"}],"summary":"Children with disabilities in India have a legal right under the RPwD Act, 2016 to exam concessions such as extra time, a scribe or reader, calculator use, subject exemptions and a separate room. To access them, obtain a disability certificate or recognised learning assessment, apply in writing to your school or board well before exam deadlines, and keep all documentation. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","answer_md":"*The right concessions don't lower the bar for your child — they remove the barriers that sit between what your child knows and how they're able to show it.*\n\n## In short\nIn India, children with disabilities have a legal right to exam concessions — most commonly **extra time (usually 20 minutes per hour), a scribe or reader, exemption from certain subjects, use of a calculator or assistive technology, and a separate, calmer room**. To access them you'll need a **disability certificate** and/or a school assessment, then a written application to your school or examination board ahead of the exam. These rights flow from the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 and board-specific guidelines (CBSE, ICSE and state boards each publish their own).\n\n## The steps to follow\n1. **Get the documentation.** Most boards require a **disability certificate** issued by a government-recognised medical authority, or for learning disabilities, an assessment from a recognised institution. A clinician-led developmental and learning profile gives you the evidence schools and boards ask for.\n2. **Identify the concessions your child needs.** These are matched to the barrier, not the label — extra time and a scribe for writing difficulties, a reader for reading difficulties, a calculator or spelling exemption, a separate room for sensory or attention needs, large-print papers for visual needs.\n3. **Apply early and in writing.** Speak to the school's special educator or principal first. Boards have deadlines — often well before the exam — so begin at the start of the academic year, not the week before exams.\n4. **Keep a paper trail.** Submit the certificate, the assessment report and the school's recommendation together. Retain copies of everything.\n5. **Reapply as required.** Some concessions are granted exam-by-exam or board-by-board, so check whether the approval carries forward to public board exams.\n\nConcessions are an entitlement, not a favour — and they are designed so your child is judged on what they know, fairly.\n\n## When to get support\nStart the process as soon as you notice your child consistently knows the material but cannot show it under timed, written conditions — or if a teacher raises concerns about reading, writing, attention or processing speed. A structured assessment well before a public board year gives you time to gather documents calmly.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nAbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — and that clinician-led profile gives you the evidence-based report schools and boards rely on for concessions. Begin with a clear [developmental and learning profile](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), explore how our [special education and learning support](/special-education) prepares your child for exams, and start your journey on our [home page](/). Across 70+ centres in 4 states, our teams routinely help families assemble the documentation that schools request.\n\n## Trusted sources\nRehabilitation Council of India guidance on disability certification and educational support; World Health Organization framing of disability as the interaction between a child and their environment; UNICEF-aligned nurturing-care principles on inclusive participation. Board-specific rules (CBSE, ICSE, state boards) should be checked directly each year as they are periodically updated.\n\n**Next step —** Want the assessment report your school needs for concessions? [Talk to a Pinnacle team near you](/special-education).\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-do-i-get-exam-concessions-and-extra-time-for-my-child-with-special-needs-in-school","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-do-i-get-exam-concessions-and-extra-time-for-my-child-with-special-needs-in-school","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[],"meta_title":"Exam Concessions for Special Needs in School","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Start gathering your child's school reports and any assessment documents at the beginning of the academic year, not before exams — boards have early deadlines, and a calm paper trail makes approval far smoother.","published_at":"2026-06-10T12:56:00.519845+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"therapy","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"can-my-child-get-extra-time-and-a-scribe-in-board-exams","title":"Can my child get extra time and a scribe in board exams?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"can-my-child-get-a-scribe-and-extra-time-in-exams","title":"Can my child get a scribe and extra time in exams?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-do-i-get-exam-accommodations-for-my-child","title":"How do I get exam accommodations for my child?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-accommodations-is-my-child-legally-entitled-to-in-school","title":"What accommodations is my child legally entitled to in school?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-education-rights-does-my-child-with-a-disability-have","title":"What education rights does my child with a disability have?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-support-is-available-for-learning-difficulties-at-school","title":"What support is available for learning difficulties at school?","reason":"Linked from this answer"}],"label":"Explore therapy & support","total":6}],"what_to_watch":"Watch for a child who clearly knows the material in conversation but cannot show it under timed, written conditions; very slow reading or writing; difficulty finishing papers; or distress and shutdown in exam rooms — all signs that concessions may help.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://rehabcouncil.nic.in","label":"Rehabilitation Council of India — disability certification and educational support"},{"url":"https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability","label":"WHO — disability as interaction of child and environment"},{"url":"https://nurturing-care.org","label":"Nurturing Care Framework — inclusive participation"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T12:56:00.519845+00:00","meta_description":"How to get exam concessions and extra time for your child with special needs in India — the documents, the rights and the steps to apply, explained simply.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}