MIXED BAG FOR THE DIFFERENTLY ABLED

Online CAT a new test for disabled

Shruthi Balakrishna | TNN

Bangalore: Anup (name changed) is affected by cerebral palsy but he never found it challenging to prepare for the Common Admission Test (CAT) for the IIMs.

But he’s apprehensive this time as there’s no mention of the authorities providing a scribe/reader to examinees like him — only visually impaired students are entitled to one. Anup’s fear has been compounded by the fact that CAT 2009 will be a computer-based test.

According to CAT FAQs 2009, visually impaired students appearing for CAT will have a scribe/reader. “There is no mention of how students with cerebral palsy will write the tests this year because the paper-pencil format has been done away with and the FAQs have left out if we will have a scribe at all,’’ says another student.

The IIMs will conduct the test for 10 days, from November 28 to December 7. Anup is sitting for the CAT a third time. “When I wrote CAT in 2005 and 2008, a scribe read the questions and marked the answers. In all my exams from Class 7 to degree, a scribe was provided. I fail to understand how IIMs left out cerebral palsy candidates this year,” said the BCom graduate, who works as an analyst in a reputed firm. Students with disabilities like Anup are now planning to approach the CAT committee for help.

Audio software could help, too
Vaishnavi Kasturi, who is visually impaired and appeared for CAT 2006, told TOI the exam was disabled-friendly. “We’re allowed to take a scribe. In fact, the process of approving the scribe was also fast. It would be good if IIMs installed a software for visually impaired candidates so they can hear the text,” said this business analyst.

New website policy to let them talk to you
Bangalore: The next time you log on to the Indian Railways website to book an e-ticket, don’t be surprised if it starts talking to you. Many others will get chatty too — as you file your I-T return or check out movies for the week — to help the disabled, especially the visually challenged.

All websites in the country, including the 5,000 government sites, will turn audible when the Union information-technology department brings in a policy to make websites accessible to all. For this, a website needs to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, a standard followed in the US and the UK. The new standard, along with a screen reader, will make the content audible for the user through a headphone or a speaker. A blind person can use tab keys to respond — they will take him/her through the different links.

While the old websites will be renewed, the standards are mandatory for the new ones. The project has been given to BarrierBreak Technologies and will take 10%-15% of the ordinary project cost. “It will not only help blind people, but also aged and illiterate people,’’ said Javed Abidi of National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People.

The idea was mooted last year on December 3, the day for the disabled, in Delhi. “The IT ministry was very proactive about the programme. The draft, approved by the ministry, will be released soon,’’ he said. The policy would be extended to other hardware items as well — like ATMs, TVs, washing machines and microwaves. This will be the second phase of the project. Sruthy Susan Ullas