Youth with multiple disabilities to appear for Class X exam

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A 21-year-old deaf, mute and visually impaired student - who can communicate only through a tacile sign language- is all set become the first such student to appear for the Class X exam conducted by the Maharashtra State Board.
Saurabh Chougule, a student of the Helen Keller Institute for Deaf and Deaflind in Navi Mumbai, has been preparing for the examination at the institute for the last three years.
He will appear for his first paper on March 14 with the help of an interpreter and a writer.
Chairman of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) Gangadhar Mhamane said this is the first time that such a student will attempt the examination.

"We approached the SSC board in Pune and put forth the a request seeking permission to allow Saurabh to appear for the board exam and we are happy that the board has accepted our plea. Now, the dream of Saurabh to appear for the Class X board exam will be fulfilled," Education Coordinator at the Institute Devyani Hadkar told PTI.
"When we approached the board chairman, we sought permission to issue a question paper in braille.However, the Board, while citing lack of requisite infrastructure and facility for braille, gave us the option of using an interpreter and writer," she said.

Hadkar explained a tactile sign language is used to communicate with persons like Saurabh.

"Such persons can understand things and one has to hold the person's hand and with some signs, make them understand things. We are going to use the same method during the examination in which an interpreter will read the question and communicate with Saurabh through tactile sign language," she informed.
Hadkar said Saurabh will also respond in the tactile sign language, following which the interpreter will recite the answer to the writer.
Given his aptitude for vocational courses, Saurabh will appear for subjects like Bakery Products, Milk Products, Marathi (third language), Social Science, Mathematics, Information & Technology and Science.

"We have provided all the facilities to Saurabh at the examination centre and he will get one hour extra to solve the paper," he said.
Saurabh, who hails from Sangli, will appear for the examination in one of the centres in Ghansoli.