Visually impaired students appearing for tests like the computer certificate, bank probationary officers exam, teacher eligibility test (TET) or clerical tests are facing a major shortage of scribes.

While the need for scribes ranges from between 30 to 300 a month, unfortunately there are not many available. As the eligibility criteria is stringent, most students find it difficult to find a scribe.

“We need about 39 scribes in just a day for the computer certificate exam. The government has issued strict guidelines to send them the list of scribes soon, and we are facing a shortage. We get a lot of volunteers who are willing to apply and help someone, but they do not fit the criteria. Hence, many visually impaired students remain unemployed,” said Nagaprasad, a teacher at the Ra

mananda Institution for Visually Challenged and the N.V. Reddy Vishwas Trust.
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The eligibility criteria for scribes as per government guidelines is very stringent when it comes to most exams, except for the bank probationary officer exams, which does not require any eligibility.

For the computer certificate exams, the scribes must be Intermediate students, who have passed their course in the last two years, and must not be engineering graduates. For the teachers eligibility test, anyone below graduation can be a scribe. Authorities of blind schools and colleges and a few other organisations are reaching out to people through the social media.

“Exams like the computer training exam, bank POs, bank clerks, IBPS exam, Reserve Bank of India exams, teacher training entrance, postal exams, BA and Bachelor of Business Management, VRO exams, diploma, degree, Intermediate, ICET, engineering and IPCC need scribes. Those who fit the eligibility criteria can register on the New Life Foundation’s Facebook page and volunteer,” Mr Nagaprasad said.

SOURCE: DECCAN CHRONICLE