By Dr. Rachna Sabu, Psychologist and Special Educator, RCI Registered · Last reviewed: 28 October 2026 · Rules checked against CBSE and CISCE documents on 28 October 2026
Extra time, scribes, language exemptions: what CBSE and ICSE allow for learning and intellectual disabilities, and how to plan from Class 9.
Every year, especially before board exams, parents come to us worried about how their children will perform. Some children write slowly, some find maths difficult, some need more time to think, and some struggle with reading, even after all their hard work. With the right support, they can do well in their exams too. CBSE and CISCE (the ICSE and ISC board) both have clear provisions for these children. In 24 years of working with families and schools, we have seen that the board years become much calmer when parents start early and know the steps. This guide gives you those steps, in plain words, from Class 9 onwards.
In short: CBSE and CISCE both give certified students with learning and intellectual disabilities extra time, a scribe, reader or prompter, a language exemption and flexibility in subjects, and both may consider attendance relaxation. CISCE also covers some students without a benchmark disability, such as those with borderline intellectual functioning. In both boards, the school applies on the board's portal, and the board decides each case.
The 2026–27 cycle
- CBSE: The LOC submission period, including the late-fee period, closes on 30 October 2026. Ask your school for a copy of the circular if you need the exact dates on record.
- CISCE: the Head of School applies online through the CAREERS portal. CISCE's ICSE Regulations for 2028, published in January 2026, point schools to its support guidelines.
- Class 9 or 11 now? This is the right time to plan for your child's board year.
- Last checked: 28 October 2026
Both boards follow the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. In the Act, "intellectual disability" is a broad heading. It covers:
CISCE spells out the thresholds. It describes intellectual disability as "mild to profound levels with IQ below 69", and says SLD certification requires an IQ score of 85 or above.
What about children in between? CISCE also recognises borderline intellectual functioning (BIF), an IQ of roughly 70 to 85, and other conditions that don't reach "benchmark" disability (40% or more). These students can receive extra time, a reader or writer where writing is affected, and no penalty for spelling errors, with the right documents. That is good news for many families we meet, whose children fall in this middle ground.
CBSE's 2019 circular extends its concessions to candidates with disabilities as defined in the RPwD Act. Its table (Annexure-C) lists facilities under the "Intellectual Disability" heading for SLD and for autism. For any other category, including intellectual disability itself, take one clear step: ask your school's exam coordinator which facilities the CWSN portal shows for your child's category.
If you're still getting to know your child's difficulty, our article on understanding dyslexia is a good place to begin.
CBSE's main reference is its 2019 circular on exemptions and concessions, and the 2026–27 LOC circular still points schools to it.
CBSE gives 60 minutes of compensatory time for a three-hour paper, 50 minutes for two and a half hours, 40 minutes for two hours and 30 minutes for one and a half hours. It applies to eligible candidates with disabilities, with or without a scribe, once the school has requested it through the CWSN portal.
| Length of paper | Compensatory time |
|---|---|
| 3 hours | 60 minutes |
| 2½ hours | 50 minutes |
| 2 hours | 40 minutes |
| 1½ hours | 30 minutes |
Source: CBSE circular CBSE/COORD/112233/2019, Part A.2
Extra time works best when your child has practised with it. Ask the school to allow it in unit tests and prelims too, so the board exam feels familiar.
A student can bring their own scribe or ask the exam centre for one. A scribe you arrange must be one step below the student's qualification, with details given on CBSE's Annexure-B form. There is one scribe per subject, they can be changed in an emergency, and the service is free to the student.
Working with a scribe is a skill, and it can be learned. Dictating answers, full stops and diagram labels included, gets easier with practice. Our study skills and special education work can build it in.
The circular's two language lines are worded differently, so settle the exact language plan with your school before Class 9 subjects are fixed. Once the LOC is submitted, subject changes aren't considered; a subject entered wrongly can be corrected in CBSE's short data-verification window. Later on, choosing a stream after Class 10 may help.
The 2019 circular allows a computer without internet "as per the actual need and skills" of the student, supported by a certificate. It says calculators are not permitted, while CBSE's CWSN portal manual (December 2024) adds that it has "also allowed use of basic calculators for candidates registered under CWSN category". The facilities shown on the portal in your child's year are the current ones, so ask the exam coordinator what it lists.
CISCE's guidelines (revised September 2025) set out these provisions in detail. For students with SLD and autism, they include:
For borderline intellectual functioning and other non-benchmark conditions, CISCE allows 20 minutes per hour where writing speed is very low, a reader or writer where writing is affected (with a certificate from a government healthcare institution's competent medical authority), and no penalty for spelling and grammar errors.
Parents of children with intellectual disability often find little written for them. Here's what the documents say.
For a child with intellectual disability, the one step that matters is to sit with the school early, in Class 8 or 9, and agree which facilities will be requested on the board's portal. Our special education team can help you plan the subjects and support that suit your child.
CBSE lists certificates from government hospitals (Chief Medical Officer, Civil Surgeon or Medical Superintendent), recognised national-level institutes, and NGOs or practitioners registered with RCI or with the Central or State Government, as well as the competent authority at any place. CISCE asks for a disability certificate, the Principal's letter and a detailed evaluation report.
CBSE (2019 circular, Part A.1) considers certificates issued by:
CISCE (guidelines, section 6) asks for:
CISCE adds that it looks for documents from government-authorised bodies or RCI-registered rehabilitation professionals. I'm RCI registered, and I lead and supervise every assessment myself, with trained members of our team assisting.
Sion Hospital (Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital) runs an LD certification service through its Paediatrics department. Read its current instructions before you go. The national UDID card is available through the UDID portal; ask your school whether they'd like it too.
Parents don't apply to the board directly. You give the school what it needs, and the school does the rest.
CBSE: the school marks your child as CWSN (Child With Special Needs) and enters the category in the LOC. It then selects the facilities in the CWSN module on the Pariksha Sangam portal, uploads the supporting document (a PDF of up to 2 MB) and finalises. The selection is a one-time choice, and the Regional Office approves each case. Approved facilities appear on the admit card.
CISCE: the Head of School logs in to the CAREERS portal, opens E-registration, and fills the Special Difficulty Request for ICSE or ISC, uploading the documents. CISCE decides each application on the documents provided.
Schools can contact us directly. With the parents' consent, you can refer students to our center, and for 10 or more students we carry out the assessments at your school, anywhere in Mumbai, Thane or Navi Mumbai. Call +91 93237 88878, and we're happy to visit your school and talk with your team. Assessments take place only at our center or at schools. There's more on our for schools page and in our school resource center.
For the 2027 board exams, CBSE's LOC submission period, including the late-fee period, closes on 30 October 2026. CWSN data goes in through the school before that date; after that, no student can be added as CWSN. CISCE applications go through the Head of School. For a child in Class 9 or 11, planning early for the next cycle still helps.
CBSE's 2026–27 LOC circular (dated 17 September 2026) says the CWSN portal runs with the LOC, that the CWSN deadline falls before the LOC deadline, and that afterwards "schools will not be able to add any other candidate as CWSN". It also says no CWSN concession requests are considered once the LOC is submitted. CBSE's 2019 circular asks families to approach the board through the school "preferably while in Class IX and/or XI". Under CBSE's Two Board Policy, the first Class 10 board exam in February and March is compulsory for all students.
If the window has passed for this year, talk to your school promptly, and plan carefully for the next registration you can use.
A psychoeducational assessment explains how your child learns and where the difficulty lies, with clear recommendations for home, school and exams. You receive a report prepared to support applications for examination provisions under CBSE and CISCE guidelines. The school applies, and the board makes the final decision on each application.
I lead and supervise every psychoeducational assessment, with trained members of our team assisting. We use standardised assessments, including achievement and intelligence assessments, with behaviour assessments as and when required. It's completed on the same day, in one or two sessions of two to three hours with short breaks, so you and your child don't have to make repeated visits.
Within seven working days, you receive a clear, easy-to-read report with practical classroom recommendations. It explains your child's strengths and difficulties and recommends the concessions and classroom support that fit. Remediation in reading, writing and maths, and counselling, follow afterwards if your child needs them, so your child keeps growing, not just coping. Read what a psychoeducational assessment actually measures or does my child need a learning assessment?
Thinking about board exams for your child? A free 15-minute consultation is enough to start. Book a consultation or WhatsApp us on +91 97020 09567.
CISCE gives 20 minutes of extra time per hour per subject, rest breaks, no penalty for spelling and grammar errors, and a second-language exemption at ICSE. It also covers borderline intellectual functioning. It asks for a disability certificate, the Principal's letter and a detailed evaluation report, and the Head of School applies on the CAREERS portal.
| CBSE | CISCE (ICSE/ISC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Extra time | 60 minutes per 3-hour paper (scaled for shorter papers) | 20 minutes per hour, per subject, plus supervised rest breaks |
| Scribe and reader | Scribe, reader or adult prompter | Reader, writer or adult prompter |
| Spelling | Not addressed in the 2019 circular | Spelling and grammar errors not penalised |
| Language | Third-language exemption (Class 10); second-language exemption marked for SLD and autism | Second-language exemption at ICSE |
| Calculator | Basic calculator listed in the 2024 CWSN manual | Casio fx-82MS, for calculations only |
| Intellectual disability | Covered by the general concessions for RPwD candidates | Benchmark disability (IQ below 69), with general learning support |
| Borderline intellectual functioning | Not addressed in the 2019 circular | Extra time, reader or writer where writing is affected, no spelling penalty |
| Documents | Disability certificate from the listed authorities | Disability certificate, Principal's letter and detailed evaluation report |
| SLD certification | IQ criterion not stated | IQ of 85 or above |
| Who applies | The school, on the CWSN portal with the LOC | The Head of School, on the CAREERS portal |
Both boards give extra time, a scribe or writer, a reader or prompter, language exemptions and flexible subjects, and may consider attendance relaxation. CISCE also gives rest breaks and doesn't penalise spelling errors. The school applies, and the board decides each case.
CBSE gives 60 minutes for a three-hour paper, 50 for two and a half hours, 40 for two hours and 30 for one and a half hours. CISCE gives 20 minutes per hour for each subject.
CISCE treats intellectual disability (IQ below 69) as a benchmark disability, with general learning support. CBSE's general concessions apply to candidates with disabilities under the RPwD Act. Agree with your school early which facilities will be requested.
Yes. CISCE's guidelines cover borderline intellectual functioning with extra time where writing is very slow, a reader or writer where writing is affected, and no penalty for spelling and grammar errors, with the right documents.
For CBSE, your own scribe must be one step below your child's qualification, with details on Annexure-B; one per subject, free to the student. For CISCE, the writer is a student from the class below, from the same school.
CBSE exempts the third language in Class 10 and marks a second-language exemption for SLD. CISCE exempts the second language at ICSE with a valid certificate. Settle the language plan with your school before Class 9 subjects are fixed.
Yes. Our report is prepared to support applications for examination provisions under CBSE and CISCE guidelines. The school applies, and the board makes the final decision on each application.
CBSE lists certificates from government hospitals, recognised national-level institutes, and NGOs or practitioners registered with the RCI or with the Central or State Government. CISCE asks for a disability certificate, the Principal's letter and a detailed evaluation report.
Yes. Schools can contact us directly and, with the parents' consent, refer students to our center. For 10 or more students, we assess at the school, anywhere in Mumbai, Thane or Navi Mumbai. Call +91 93237 88878; we're happy to visit and talk with your team.
CBSE schools mark the student as CWSN in the LOC and select facilities on the CWSN portal. CISCE schools apply through the Special Difficulty Request on the CAREERS portal. Both boards decide each case.
For 2026–27, the LOC submission period, including the late-fee period, closes on 30 October 2026. CWSN data goes in through the school before that date. If your family misses it, ask the school about the next cycle.
No. The 2026–27 LOC circular says CWSN concession requests aren't considered after the LOC is submitted. Speak to your school promptly and plan for the next registration you can use.
CBSE's 2019 circular and 2026–27 LOC circular, and CISCE's support guidelines.
You don't have to work all of this out alone. In 24 years of service, we've completed 75,000+ assessments for clients and worked with 45+ schools, colleges and organisations. We'll help you understand how your child learns and plan the board years with confidence. Families come to our Kopar Khairane center from Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and Panvel, and we assess at schools too. More for parents is on our for parents page.
Center for Assessment Remediation & Therapy Christ Academy, Plot 5, Sector 23, Kopar Khairane, Navi Mumbai 400709 Monday to Saturday, 9 AM to 4 PM WhatsApp: +91 97020 09567 · Phone: +91 93237 88878 · Email: contact@cart.net.in
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About the author: Dr. Rachna Sabu, Psychologist and Special Educator, RCI Registered. More about us.
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