Visually
Challenged Candidate Makes UGC History
No matter whether Miranda
Tomkinson qualifies in the University Grant Commission’s national eligibility
test (NET) held on December 29, he has earned a permanent place for himself in
the history of the highest statutory body by virtue of being the first visually
challenged candidate to get a question paper in Braille for the examination.
Thanks to a Madras High Court directive to UGC, the package containing a set of
three question papers in Braille arrived here by flight from New Delhi around 4
pm on Saturday.
On Sunday morning,
Miranda, who is both aurally and visually challenged, arrived at the
examination venue – MGR Janaki College – accompanied by Smita Sadasivam from
Vidyasagar and Robert Richard of the National Institute Multiple Disabilities.
He appeared tense as the
road to the examination hall had not been easy for him. A post-graduate in
sociology, his attempts to write NET last June had failed and finally he
approached Vidyasagar in September this year. “We take cases of violation of
rights of persons with disabilities,” said Smita Sadasivam. “We first wrote to
UGC, but did not get any reply. Then, we wrote to the state and chief
commissioners for persons of disabilities in Chennai and Delhi. Again, there
was no response.”
The organisation then
contacted the University of Madras, which sent a missive to UGC. On December
20, the university informed the NGO that the apex body had denied permission to
Miranda as a matter of policy decision this year, but that it could be
considered next year. “Hence, we filed an emergency petition in the Madras High
Court,” Sadasivam said.
On December 27, Justice S
Vaidyanathan held that denying a questionnaire in Braille to Miranda would
amount to discrimination and directed the UGC to furnish a question book in
Braille not just to the petitioner but to all such candidates aspiring to write
the NET on Sunday.
“There are 275 blind and
low-vision candidates from Chennai,” the activist pointed out. “I am not sure
whether they are aware of the court order.”
Asked about his
test-preparedness, Miranda said that he could not concentrate much on his
studies because of the legal issues. “I have prepared for the test with the
little amount of time available to me. Still, I have great hopes.”
Claiming that the UGC had
not provided any compassionate assistance despite making several requests, he
said: “I should be judged fairly. The evaluation should be done fairly.”
At the hall, examination
officials provided Miranda with a scribe and, as a special case, allowed Robert
Richard to sit with him.
Of the
1,002 candidates appearing for NET at the centre, six, including Miranda,
suffered from disabilities.
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