Students with Type 1 diabetes appearing for the Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical (KEAM) 2027 entrance examination will receive 20 minutes of additional time for every hour of the test, Kerala Higher Education Minister Roji M John announced.
The facility will be granted to candidates who produce a medical certificate from a doctor. The government has also permitted them to carry essential medical supplies and food into the examination hall after security checks.
The permitted items include insulin pens, insulin pumps, glucose tablets, water, Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems (CGMS), snacks and fruits. The provisions are intended to help candidates manage fluctuations in blood glucose levels, including hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, and hyperglycaemia, or high blood sugar, during the examination.
According to the Minister, the decision followed a representation from the Type One Diabetes Foundation and a report submitted by the Commissioner for Entrance Examinations. The proposal received approval from the Finance Department and the Chief Minister.
The government will incorporate the provisions into the KEAM 2027 prospectus, which will specify the examination-related requirements for candidates seeking these concessions.
Kerala had earlier approved 20 minutes of additional examination time per hour for students with Type 1 diabetes appearing for examinations conducted by higher education institutions and professional colleges in the state. Government Order (Rt) No. 1325/2023/HEDN, issued on August 25, 2023, sanctioned the concession on the basis of a certificate issued by a government doctor.
The decision extends the accommodation to KEAM, the state's entrance examination for admission to professional degree courses, including engineering and pharmacy. Admissions to medical and allied courses through KEAM are based on NEET-UG scores.
The provisions also come amid wider dialogue on examination access for candidates with medical conditions. The Central Board of Secondary Education permits students with Type 1 diabetes to carry specified food items, medicines and monitoring devices into board examination centres. The National Testing Agency's NEET-UG instructions also allow diabetic candidates to carry specified food items and glucose tablets. These arrangements address medical needs during examinations, while Kerala's KEAM provision additionally grants compensatory time.