A resident of Ichalkaranji, Maharashtra, Pawan Kasliwal’s daughter and son were born with a degenerative eye condition. As a parent he had a tough time seeing them lose vision gradually and accepting their impairment. 

But he wasn’t one to lose hope. He stood strong in support of his children and encouraged them to educate and become independent. Studying in a mainstream school, his son, Mohit expressed an interest in becoming a software engineer.

Pawan wasn’t sure if visually impaired students could pursue Science and opt for gainful employment in the stream. When he contacted Eyeway for clarity on this matter, our counselor shared examples of blind people successfully working in the IT industry. Mohit would also be able to follow his dream, albeit with proper resources and techniques. 

Eyeway put Mohit in touch with a group of students in Delhi, actively involved in guidance for technical education. On our recommendation, Pawan also contacted Xavier’s Resource Center for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC) in Mumbai to help Mohit with accessible study material and necessary technology aids. The counselor also apprised them of the provision that exempts visually impaired students from taking practical exams.

Relieved and reassured with all these inputs, Mohit enrolled in Class XI opting for Science stream. In addition to his online classes, he is currently pursuing training from XRCVC. His younger sister has also gained fluency in using computers with the help of screen reading software. 

Like the able bodied, visually impaired students must also have the freedom to choose their areas of interest. Today, technology can easily make classrooms and study material accessible for persons with blindness. Encouragement from parents and teachers can further fuel their dreams. Eyeway is glad that Pawan Kasliwal recognized his son’s abilities and sought support at the right time.