As a student of Government Girls Higher Secondary School for the Blind at Puthur in Tiruchi, R. Kaviya has excelled in Plus Two examination this year. Now, she is taking the next steps towards a career in the civil services.
A score of 571 out of 600 came as a surprise to Kaviya, whose education began at a regular school in Namakkal. “Within a year, I was sent to a residential elementary school for visually impaired students in Coimbatore,” she recalls.
She studied at the school from class 1 to 5, when her parents, who run a juice stall in Namakkal, noticed that she needed special attention to learn. “Even though we did not have much as earnings or savings, they encouraged me to be independent,” she says.
She joined Government Girls Higher Secondary School for the Blind in Tiruchi. “The teachers should get all credit for our success. They worked hard to ensure that we understood all concepts, she feels.
Her scribe at the examinations too was understanding and patiently wrote down what she dictated.
Ms. Kaviya studied history, geography, economics and political science in Class 12. “There was delay in delivery of our textbooks, but our teachers recorded audiobooks to make up for lost time,” she says.
She aspires to become an IAS officer and spends time watching videos of speeches made by various officers on the internet during the lockdown. “I have also been preparing for TNPSC examination,” Ms. Kaviya said.
With keen interest in history, she plans to enroll for graduate course in the subject in Chennai. “The city has many opportunities for visually impaired girls like me and also coaching classes for IAS exam. My friends asked me if I was apprehensive about moving to a big city. I am actually quite excited,” she says.
