In Surat phones replace writers for blind students in exams

SURAT: While typing answers or writing long sentences on mobile phones seem challenging even for the able bodied persons, these students of a blind school have not only assayed the art with ease but can also write exam answers in Gujarati, Hindi and English on their phones using a keyboard.

With this, the need for blind students to use writers while appearing in exams have been made obsolete. Not limiting themselves only to Braille books, these students have trained themselves on how to make effective use of mobile phones too.

In a test held for by Andhajan Shikshan Mandal, Ghod Dod Road for its 62 students who sat for Class IX to XII tests. The students took the test over mobile phones in which they got a question paper in MCQ format and a few questions in the descriptive answer format.

“The descriptive answers are supposed to be given in two to three sentences,” said Manisha Gajjar, principal of the school, adding that the students have been trained to use mobile phones for typing and even sending mails.

Gajjar further said that the school practices routine teaching of regular course books through mobile and e-books so that the students can revise whenever they want. “Through the online library they can listen and practice their study work,” she added.

“This is a major boost to their abilities and confidence,” said Anand Chokhawala, president of ASM, adding that earlier visually impaired students needed writers but with this technology they can do without a writer.