Visually impaired students have a tough time finding an efficient examination writer. This was highlighted by a recent instance of a Class IX state board student in Nerul. As the school semester exams were scheduled from Monday, the student needed an exam writer.

As the exams were scheduled for all the students, the search for writers had to be done through NGOs, social networking sites and smses.

Messages seeking help for the child were posted on networking sites and by Friday evening, the student was informed that they had found a writer.

"Usually, students from the school volunteered as exam writers for my child, but this time since even they had exams such an arrangement was not possible.

The school management introduced me to Snehankita, a Mumbai-based NGO and arrangement for a writer was done," said the father of the child, whose identity is not being disclosed.

The exam writer has to participate in the practice sessions with the visually impaired student before writing the papers and has to be informed about the subject as well.

Additionally, the stipulation that the exam writer has to be from a lower standard is yet another factor for the dearth of such volunteers.

Individuals who work with the visually impaired stated that in absence of technology for such students to write on their own, finding capable writers becomes a necessity.

"I am looking out for a software which could put an end to these students' dependency on writers. Such systems are available aborad, but here the situation is bit complex," said Mangala Ghorpade, an activist.

The NGO working for the visually impaired said that the Commissioner of Disabled had formed fresh guidelines, in February, in this regard.

As per the 2006 guidelines, the age relaxation was only for writers not belonging to the same stream. This aspect has been altered in the new guidelines issued.

"Educational institutes need to go through the new guidelines to understand the changes," said Parimala Bhat, founder of Snehankita. She added that it is not necessary that students have to use only one writer.

Source: Times of India