Most writers volunteer to gain experience, others for money

The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) allows disabled students writing their SSC and HSC exams the provisions of a writer and extra time. While some writers come forward to help to get an experience of writing a board exam, others do so for the sake of money they are willingly paid by parents of disabled students.

The demand of writers increases during the SSC and HSC board exams. Takers include not just disabled students, but also those who have recently met with an accident, or are not in a condition to write the paper.

While board rules stipulate that a writer should be paid Rs 20-25 by the disabled student's parent directly, not many are aware about it. Some don't pay them on grounds of the writer being the student's friend, others willingly pay more than the stipulated amount.

A parent who did not wish to be named, said, "I paid a writer Rs 250 per paper. I don't know if that is the fee needs to be paid as per board rules. I have observed that some write exams for the experience and some for money."

Another parent, whose daughter has a learning disability, said, "My daughter did not have a writer till she reached the 9th grade. But now I have observed that she fails to write the whole paper. I will now have to get a writer for her because she has to appear for her SSC exams next year."

Krishnakumar Patil, secretary, Pune divisional board, said, "The writer needs to be paid by the parent. The amount that the board has decided is Rs 20-25."