In a major development, the Maharashtra government on Friday declared a list of facilities to be given to students with special needs from class I to XII. More importantly, the state has designed these facilities scientifically addressing specific needs of different types of special students. The objective is to allow special students equal opportunities of holistic development and that these students will be able to take education in regular schools under concept of inclusive education.

The state government feels that in order to effectively implement inclusive education, it is important that students with special needs are given additional facilities to appear for examinations as well as in their passing criteria. Following this, a new set of special facilities have been designed by the education department, which offer a range of means to students with special needs. Under the new structure, for the first time older writers will be allowed to students who need writers to appear for examination. Other facilities will include providing extra time, different parameters for evaluation as well as grace marks for passing, choices in subjects – especially languages, suitable infrastructure, use of technology such as computer, tape-recorders, calculators among all special students, admission to nearest school and having a board exam center in the same school.