For the past 15 years, the support from a voluntary group of retired teachers in the city has helped many a visually challenged college student to face their examinations with confidence. However, with the number of volunteers dwindling over the years, the group has been looking for additional hands to take the cause forward.
The volunteers spent two hours a day reading lessons and preparing notes. As many as 15 students from various colleges attend the daily classes.
However, with increasing number of students and large portions to cover, it has become difficult for the group to manage the classes.
“There are volunteers in schools who help the students with their daily lessons. Unfortunately such kind of a support does not exist in colleges. If more volunteers come forward to help these students, it will help improve their quality of study,” Padma Surendran, a retired teacher and a member of the group, told The Hindu .
“With the introduction of semester system, more portions have to be covered in six months. Thus there is a need for additional reading outside the classes. However, there are not many who are willing to help,” said Manjusha, a visually impaired student.
She said that students also found it difficult to find scribes. At the university level, students had to make their own arrangements to find scribes, unlike in schools where the authorities arranged the scribes, said Manjusha.
Ms. Padma said that though the group was willing to help, as per the university rule a candidate of lesser qualification than the student would only be allowed as scribe.
“Many students have expressed their difficulty in finding a scribe, especially for papers such as Malayalam and Sanskrit.
