Writer’s facility range reduced to avoid its misuse during board examinations

Earlier,all physically challenged students were given the benefits of having a writer,20 grace marks and additional 30 minutes to writer their papers in the board exams. The special category included students with visual impairment,orthopaedic handicap,and mental ailment among others.

This year,the students who belong to the special category but are capable of writing will be exempted from the other benefits and will only be considered for the 20 marks grace for passing.

“The board felt that the provision was misused as those with a fractured leg also availed of the facility of having a writer and using extra time which are unnecessary for them,” said R K Patel,the District Education Officer,Vadodara.

Also,instead of the parents having a direct approach to avail the facilities,the Board has given the responsibility to school authorities to identify the needful students who fit in the provision. “Last year there were various problematic instances wherein the patents demanded for writers even when the school authorities did not consider the student fit for it. But the announcement has made the rule clear on who are the real beneficiaries of the provision,” said Tarulata Pradhan,the principal of Bright Day School.

K D Bagda,the DEO,Rajkot said,“This time only 17 students were given the facility of having a writer. These students included those who have visual impairment,polio or other neurological problems making them unfit to write the papers themselves.”