Dearth of writers for visually impaired kids

Despite state government coming out with a bank of writers, many visually impaired students have faced difficulty in getting writers for their Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) board examination this year, claim Pearls of Vision organization, that works with Children With Special Needs.

There are 1,911 students appearing from the category of CWSN for HSC. This is the first time that the state education department has prepared a list of writers. According to the department, there are 779 people who have volunteered to write papers of CWSN. 

Ummehaani Bagasrawala, founder of the organization, said, “Colleges find it difficult to get writers for these students.  People are not sensitive to this issue. They are casual about volunteering and ditch these students at the last moment. When approached, they ask about getting paid. In 2016, a visually impaired student lost a year because his writer did not turn up during a board exam. We don’t know how to even approach the bank of writers that the government have formed this year. The common man wont understand what is a writers’ bank and how and whom to approach for it.”

Subhash Borse, Secretary of Mumbai divisional board, said, “Students with special needs are getting writers but after thorough investigation. Till today, students have approached board to get writers for their board exams.”