Mulund Girl becomes ‘First Blind Student’ to write her examination on Computer!
A blind girl from Mulund has brought about a revolution in the State’s education system by writing her HSC Board Examination on a computer instead of Braille. This is a first-of-its-kind experiment allowed by the State Board to any disabled student.
Simran Anand Joshi, a resident of Vrindavan Society at Vishwakarma Nagar in Mulund West, was born blind but her parents gave her education in a normal school instead of a school for the visually impaired. However, it was not easy to seek admission in a normal school. However, Prasad Kulkarni, the broad-minded Principal of Sau Laxmibai English Medium School in Mulund East, gave her a chance and kept motivating her to excel.
As a student, during an interactive programme with Education Minister, Vinod Tawade, Simran had the opportunity to speak to him. It was during this interaction she urged the Education Minister to give the opportunity to blind students to write their exam paper on the computer instead of Braille. Vinod Tawde was mesmerized by Simran’s query and he introduced the facility in 2019. Incidentally, Simran had posed the question in 2017 when she was in Class X. But, the government passed the proposal in 2019 and Simran became the first blind student to utilise the facility and etched her name in history books as the First Blind Girl to write her HSC examinations on a computer.
Speaking to Home Times, Simran said, “I am obliged to my parents and the Education Minister, Vinod Tawde, for making it possible for me. This is a huge achievement for blind students like me. I wish to tell all that with dedication and devotion, a person can achieve everything in life.”
Prasad Kulkarni, Principal of Sau Laxmibai English Medium School told Home Times, “I am proud of Simran. She has brought laurels to our school. Her demand to write the exam on the computer has opened doors for all the blind students across the state to write their exams on computer.”
