Students fake learning disability to get engineering seats

Students are increasingly faking learning disability to get quota in engineering seats or exemption from subjects they are weak at. According to experts, more than 25% of cases which are put forward as specific learning disability (SLD) cases do not merit a learning disability certificate.

“The assessing centres in the city are facing this new dilemma. It is surprising that even parents do not hesitate to claim that their kids suffer from SLD just to avail of a quota in engineering seats or exemption from certain subjects in Class X and XII,” said Chetana Keni, founder of Aurinko Academy, an alternative school.
Nimhans, Spastic Society of Karnataka, St John’s Hospital, and Malleswaram Dyslexia Association are the city-based centres which are competent to certify special learning disability in a child. Parents, whose children are under CBSE, ICSE, IGCSE, can obtain certificates from any of the above institutions while those of children under the state board can claim SLD certification only from Nimhans.

According to Dr Vijaya Prema, who is associated with Spastic Society of Karnataka, though there has been an increase in the number of people claiming special learning disability certification, diligent efforts made by various centres have helped in keeping the number in check.

“There is no denying the fact that people are misusing a law that is meant for the benefit of children who suffer from dyscalculia (difficulty in learning and comprehending arithmetic), dysgraphic (inability to write in terms of spelling or handwriting) and dyslexic (reading difficulty). It is a pity that even in such sensitive matters, some people do not shy away from making things tough for others,” she said, adding that various centres have made assessment more comprehensive and strict in order to reduce such incidents.  

While appearing in Class X and XII, a child having dyslexia is eligible for extra time of about 15-30 minutes and marks are not deducted for spelling errors. For a dysgraphic child, the same facilities are extended apart from having permission to use keyboard facility.

A child having dyscalculia can use calculator and is exempted from appearing in maths.

Experts also feel that more awareness needs to be generated among parents  on special learning disability. Many a time, parents are not ready to acknowledge that their children  suffer from dyscalculia or dysgraphia.

“I understand it is difficult for parents to come to terms with the fact that their child is lacking in a particular area. However, they must realise that they are not doing the child any good by forcing him to excel in an area where he can’t,” Keni said.