In a first in TN, blind student gets nod to write Class 12 board exam using computer
Anand will write the exam on a laptop or computer using software called 'non-visual desktop access', also known as a 'screen reader'
M Anand, the class 12 student
CHENNAI: In a first among state syllabus students in Tamil Nadu, a 17-year-old visually impaired student of a government blind school in Poonamallee is set to write Class 12 board exams using a laptop/computer.
M Anand, a fully blind student at the Victoria Memorial Blind School — also known as Poonamalle blind school — since class 6 and is currently pursuing Arts group will be answering on the device for the exams that will commence on March 3. Anand is a native of Sirkazhi.
"This is the first time a student of TN syllabus is writing the exam using a computer. This is a milestone for students with disabilities and for government schools," said Arul Anandan, the principal of Poonamalle blind school.
Anand will write the exam on a laptop or computer using software called 'non-visual desktop access', also known as a 'screen reader.'
"As Anand's is the first case in TN, for his better assistance, we have sought a scribe, someone with computer knowledge to aid him. The scribe will read questions to him, which he will answer on the device," said the principal.
Last year, visually impaired EJ Angelina Lipika of Kanniyakumari used a laptop to write the class 12 CBSE board exams in TN. Lipika secured 89 per cent.
Similarly, in 2020, GV Oviya was the first in the State to write the class 10 CBSE board exam using a laptop. She, too, scored 89 per cent.
The duo was able to use devices to write boards only because they were trained with laptops much earlier. The regular practice of visually impaired students is to use a scribe to write exams.
