Blind Persons’ Association organised a rally from Subodh Mallick Square to Dharmatala in protest against the restrictive scribe policy of the Department of Elementary Education which virtually rules out the possibility of finding scribe at the ensuing Primary Teachers’ Eligibility Test (TET) on October 11. According to the scribe rule of the Department of Elementary Education, only a student of class IX and X can act as scribe to help a visually handicapped candidate in the said examination. Since Test exam for class X is commencing on October 5 and 6, and the annual exam of class IX is scheduled shortly after the puja vacation, finding a suitable scribe is now a big problem. BPA demands removal of all restrictions on qualification of the scribe. Instead strict invigilation should be arranged to prevent any form of unfair practice.
A delegation of the organisation, headed by President Shri Narayan Ganguly, met Shri Keshri Nath Tripathi, the Governor of West Bengal and submitted a memorandum. The delegates also demanded that vh children should be provided education in Braille system in special schools. These vh children are admitted into general schools with hardly any arrangement for learning Braille under the Sarbashiksha Mission. A special educator has to visit 30 to 60 schools within a block. In consequence the students learn nothing, though they are promoted automatically as a result of no detention system at school.