Special kids worry as Board vision for writers still unclear
Schools hesitate to volunteer writers for differently abled kids as education board fails to distribute new and stricter guidelines for scribes following the dummy writers’ scam
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, March 05, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009030520090305031154857c7385b4d)
Board exams will begin in less than a fortnight, and students with special needs are a worried lot. For the Gujarat State Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has still not set guidelines for scribes who will write their papers. Examinations for Std X and Std XII are scheduled for March 17. Approximately 5,500 students with special needs will be taking the exams this year.
Principal Nikhil Raval of the School for Blind on Ashram Road said, “After the dummy writers’ scam involving Komal Patel and Harsh Kotak came to light last year, the Board decided to draw up stricter guidelines for writers.
The Std X and XII exams will be held in another week, but we have still not received the guidelines. Schools, who usually encourage their students to perform as scribes for our students, want to see the Board circular so that they do not fall foul of rules. They want to avoid a scandal of any sort, but that leaves us without writers so close to the examinations.”
Raval had even approached Board officials with the problem. “They told me that the guidelines will be distributed when it is ready,” he said.
TENSION PE TENSIONT
aking an exam is an uphill task for the differently abled students: Right from studying with their hands and ears — using books in braille and audio cassettes — to finding the right person to write the answers for them.“We select students from Class IX and XI to be our writers. The job of finding a writer is our responsibility, although we have to get them approved from the concerned authorities.
Till last year, a zonal officer used to approve the writer, but this year, the District Education Officer has taken over this charge. This is crucial, as the examiners assess us on what is written only,” says Kalpesh Soni, a Std XII student from the School of Blind. Usually, schools volunteer their students for the job. “But not this time. In the midst of exam tension, we are now plagued by this new problem.
It doesn’t matter how well we have studied, our entire future rests on the sort of writer we get,” said Paresh Vankar, a Std X student from the School of Blind. So what do they look for in the “right” writer? “First, and most important, is good handwriting. Second, the writer’s ability to understand the student. We need writers who can write at the same speed we speak. We face a lot of problems when it comes to English, Chemistry and Sanskrit papers.
During our prelims, we had to spell out scientific names, Sanskrit shlokas or big English words to the writers. This slowed us down tremendously. During our Board exams, this will cost us precious reconds that can make or mar our career,” said Soni, who will be appearing for Commerce exams.
MIND YOUR LANGUAGET
he students also face a major problem with language papers. “A Gujarati-medium student flounders when it comes to the English language paper. And, an English-medium student stumbles during Hindi or Sanskrit exams. This stresses us out a lot,” said Prakash Chauhan, Std XII general stream student from the School of Blind.
Voicing similar sentiments, principal Ushaben Chavda of Prakash Blind School near Thaltej said, “Differently abled students do experience trouble when writers flounder in language papers. A solution could be having separate writers for such papers.”She added, “We, too, are facing hassles due to lack of writers. But we expect the problem to sort out soon.”
Principal Saroj Kapoor of Blind People’s Association in Vastrapur is resting easy as she has managed to procure writers for her students. “Devashish and Sharda Mandir authorities have promised to send us their students. So, I am not worried,” she said.
BACK TO THE BOARD
When contacted, Board officials confessed that the rules have still not been framed. “We are still drafting the rules. Once it is ready and signed by the chairman, we will distribute it to schools,” said Dinesh Patel, controller of exams.Chairman Hasmukh Adiya admitted the Board has received several complaints regarding this issue.
“We have found out that blind schools are facing problems in procuring writers. If they do not get scribes by exam time, we will ask reputed schools to send over their students to help the differently abled children. We will not let them face any problems,” he said.
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Thursday, March 05, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009030520090305031154857c7385b4d)
Board exams will begin in less than a fortnight, and students with special needs are a worried lot. For the Gujarat State Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) has still not set guidelines for scribes who will write their papers. Examinations for Std X and Std XII are scheduled for March 17. Approximately 5,500 students with special needs will be taking the exams this year.
Principal Nikhil Raval of the School for Blind on Ashram Road said, “After the dummy writers’ scam involving Komal Patel and Harsh Kotak came to light last year, the Board decided to draw up stricter guidelines for writers.
The Std X and XII exams will be held in another week, but we have still not received the guidelines. Schools, who usually encourage their students to perform as scribes for our students, want to see the Board circular so that they do not fall foul of rules. They want to avoid a scandal of any sort, but that leaves us without writers so close to the examinations.”
Raval had even approached Board officials with the problem. “They told me that the guidelines will be distributed when it is ready,” he said.
TENSION PE TENSIONT
aking an exam is an uphill task for the differently abled students: Right from studying with their hands and ears — using books in braille and audio cassettes — to finding the right person to write the answers for them.“We select students from Class IX and XI to be our writers. The job of finding a writer is our responsibility, although we have to get them approved from the concerned authorities.
Till last year, a zonal officer used to approve the writer, but this year, the District Education Officer has taken over this charge. This is crucial, as the examiners assess us on what is written only,” says Kalpesh Soni, a Std XII student from the School of Blind. Usually, schools volunteer their students for the job. “But not this time. In the midst of exam tension, we are now plagued by this new problem.
It doesn’t matter how well we have studied, our entire future rests on the sort of writer we get,” said Paresh Vankar, a Std X student from the School of Blind. So what do they look for in the “right” writer? “First, and most important, is good handwriting. Second, the writer’s ability to understand the student. We need writers who can write at the same speed we speak. We face a lot of problems when it comes to English, Chemistry and Sanskrit papers.
During our prelims, we had to spell out scientific names, Sanskrit shlokas or big English words to the writers. This slowed us down tremendously. During our Board exams, this will cost us precious reconds that can make or mar our career,” said Soni, who will be appearing for Commerce exams.
MIND YOUR LANGUAGET
he students also face a major problem with language papers. “A Gujarati-medium student flounders when it comes to the English language paper. And, an English-medium student stumbles during Hindi or Sanskrit exams. This stresses us out a lot,” said Prakash Chauhan, Std XII general stream student from the School of Blind.
Voicing similar sentiments, principal Ushaben Chavda of Prakash Blind School near Thaltej said, “Differently abled students do experience trouble when writers flounder in language papers. A solution could be having separate writers for such papers.”She added, “We, too, are facing hassles due to lack of writers. But we expect the problem to sort out soon.”
Principal Saroj Kapoor of Blind People’s Association in Vastrapur is resting easy as she has managed to procure writers for her students. “Devashish and Sharda Mandir authorities have promised to send us their students. So, I am not worried,” she said.
BACK TO THE BOARD
When contacted, Board officials confessed that the rules have still not been framed. “We are still drafting the rules. Once it is ready and signed by the chairman, we will distribute it to schools,” said Dinesh Patel, controller of exams.Chairman Hasmukh Adiya admitted the Board has received several complaints regarding this issue.
“We have found out that blind schools are facing problems in procuring writers. If they do not get scribes by exam time, we will ask reputed schools to send over their students to help the differently abled children. We will not let them face any problems,” he said.
