Perhaps their anti plagiarism software can't deal with handwritten scripts...?
I think this could be the reason.
But then whether that is reason enough to not have the handwritten option is another question altogether.
While I have seen the post on plagiarism (and the distress it is causing candidates) on the forum, may be asking the following questions might help IFOA to think of majority of the candidates writing the exam and come up with a more pragmatic solution.
1. Would majority of the candidates really indulge in plagiarism for a few marks that may not get them past the finishing line? Common sense says NO. A common sense approach would also show that those who indulge in plagiarism are unlikely to gain so much as to pass.
2. Would most candidates have time to do it? Candidates barely have time to raise their head from the paper during the exam as it is a race against time. In such a case, would most candidates take out precious time to copy and paste? I would assume not. May be IFOA thinks otherwise.
3. Would candidates not think it might be better to move on to the next question that they can answer rather than search for the answer in the open book and then copy and paste?
4. Would candidates know or remember where (the exact page) to find the answer?
If they know this, they are likely to know the answer too. If they don't, they are going to spend a huge amount of time ferreting it out and thus be unable to complete the paper. How many candidates would indulge in this?
5. Is this not the case that IFOA is punishing the majority (who have studied hard, prepared well, might answer well and do not indulge in plagiarism) in order to punish the minority (who anyway would not have passed)?
6. What purpose does it serve to punish the majority to unearth a not so significant minority? Is justice really served? Does it really help IFOA to solve its plagiarism problem?
7. Considering the distress caused to majority of the candidates (who have studied hard, prepared well, might answer well and do not indulge in plagiarism) by the anti-plagiarism witch hunt, IFOA should ask itself if this the right approach.
IMO, punishing the majority for an insignificant minority (who anyway are unlikely to pass if they have to plagiarise), is doing great disservice to the majority of the candidates (who work hard, prepare well and hope to write the exam well).