A lack of Braille books, including textbooks and dictionaries, has become an impediment to the students with vision disabilities in their struggle for education in Odisha.
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Ahead of World Braille Day, on January 4, which this year focuses on promoting Braille literacy and highlighting the right of students with vision disabilities to access information, education, and culture, the students with vision disabilities in the State expressed their frustration over the lack of access to Braille books beyond Standard 12.
Remarkably, the printing of Braille textbooks for the plus two or higher secondary courses only began a few years ago, specifically in 2020, at the Braille Press in Berhampur - the sole facility in Odisha.
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Prakash Narayan Rath, the manager of the press, shared that they currently do not have the capacity to print textbooks for graduation studies. Consequently, students rely on classroom lectures and utilise computer assistance to manage their studies.
The Odisha Association of Blind (OAB) has expressed disappointment, stating that despite numerous appeals, the government has not taken any measures to make Braille printed textbooks more accessible.
Kapil Charan Swain, Secretary of OAB, emphasised the significance of Braille as the sole method enabling blind individuals to read and write independently. Mr. Swain rued that the community does not have dedicated dictionary, even 75 years after independence. Students with vision disabilities manage with a handbook, which helps them understand English words used in daily life.
“Writing an examination paper becomes an impossible task without a scribe. While society is advancing at a rapid pace, we find ourselves stagnant in time,” said Banita Padhi, Chairperson All India Confederation of the Blind.
The OAB further laments that none of the university in Odisha offers full time courses in disability studies as a result of which instructors for the sector are not produced.