In absence of scribes and assistive devices, many visually impaired students couldn’t take DU online exam on day 1 – delhi news

Many visually challenged students on Monday mentioned they had been unable to take the check on the primary day of Delhi College’s (DU) online open-ebook exams (OBE) for remaining-yr undergraduate and postgraduate students, as a consequence of unavailability of scribes and assistive gadgets.

The college had earlier mentioned visually impaired students showing within the exams might search its assist in getting scribes on the widespread service centres (CSCs) — amenities created below the ministry of electronics and info know-how — or their campuses. The college had requested faculties to supply assist materials to all visually challenged students.

There are round 400 visually challenged remaining-yr students in undergraduate and postgraduate programs. It was not but recognized how many took the check as DU was nonetheless gathering information from faculties.

However many students alleged they weren’t offered scribes, assistive gadgets and related research materials by their faculties. Roshan Kumar, 19, a remaining-yr BA (prog) pupil at Ramjas Faculty, was amongst those that couldn’t take the exam on Monday.

“We can not learn printed books. We use two sorts of gadgets. One is a laptop computer or netbook with a display screen reader software program and one other is DAISY (digital accessible info system) gamers. These gamers have recorded research materials. We couldn’t get something since faculties are closed in view of the pandemic. It was unattainable for me to organize for exams with out all this,” mentioned Kumar, a primary-technology learner from west Delhi’s Nawada.

Manoj Khanna, principal of Ramjas Faculty, mentioned all visually impaired students received audio research materials. “We had knowledgeable students that they will go to the campus and avail of the power of scribes. A visually challenged pupil will come this week to jot down his exam with the assistance of a scribe offered by the school,” he mentioned.

Then there have been students caught in numerous components of the nation amid the Covid-19 pandemic, who couldn’t get scribes. Deepak Gupta, 23, a visually impaired pupil finding out MA in English, mentioned he couldn’t prepare for a scribe in his residence city in Bihar. “I couldn’t seem within the exam on Monday. It was not potential for me to journey to Delhi at the moment. We would not have correct research materials at residence. We used to take assist of our classmates in audio recording research materials. Nothing such occurred this time amid the pandemic,” he mentioned.

Ramjastan, a BA (prog) remaining-yr pupil at a south campus faculty and a resident of Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur, additionally couldn’t take the exam. “I didn’t have the prescribed research materials in accessible kind to check. The faculty requested me to go to the campus if I wanted a scribe. When different students are usually not referred to as to the campus amid the pandemic, why have students with disabilities must go?”

Preevi, 20, a remaining-yr BA (English Hons) pupil at Miranda Home, mentioned she will be unable to seem Tuesday’s exam additionally. “I’m caught in my residence city Varanasi because of the prevailing scenario. The faculty had requested me to come back to the campus if I desire a scribe. It’s completely unsafe to journey at the moment. I do not know when I’ll get one other alternative to seem within the exams now,” she mentioned.

Bijayalaxmi Nanda, principal of Miranda Home, mentioned, “We have now arrange a assist system at our faculty campus for students with disabilities. Nevertheless it was not potential to supply scribes in numerous components of the nation amid the pandemic.”

Regardless of a number of makes an attempt, DU dean of exam, Vinay Gupta, didn’t reply to calls and texts despatched for a remark. A member of the examination department, who wished to not be named, mentioned, “The online exam is optionally available and all students will get one other probability to jot down the exam.”

Senior advocate SK Rungta, who has filed a petition within the Delhi Excessive Courtroom on behalf of the Nationwide Federation of Blind (NFB), searching for efficient mechanisms for visually impaired and specifically abled students for the online exam, mentioned, “The college and UGC ought to take into account selling of these students on the premise their inner exams. We are going to quickly transfer Supreme Courtroom, demanding the identical.”