Gurgaon: Parents of disabled students enrolled with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) have urged the board to cancel the offline exams and promote the students based on internal assessments.
They have written open letters to the board and started an online campaign seeking relief from the “pressure” of appearing for physical exams scheduled for June. More than 6,000 parents across the national capital region (NCR) have already signed the petition. They demanded that the children should be promoted based on tutor-marked assignments (TMA) and practical board examination marks.
The parents argued that it could be a daunting task for these students — who suffer from a wide range of learning and intellectual disabilities — to enter exam centres where Covid-19 protocols will be in place. They not only suffer from various comorbidities that make them vulnerable but also have sensory issues that make it difficult for many to wear masks due to sensory distress.
“Besides their vulnerability to get infected, they also run the risk of undergoing immense mental pressure,” said Shalini Verma, a resident of DLF Phase-5, whose son suffers from cerebral palsy and is wheelchair-bound.
Parents further argued that these students need scribes and although the board has allowed parents to be the scribes, many belong to socially disadvantaged groups and will find it difficult.
The board said it will take a decision after reviewing the situation on May 20 and has asked the parents to wait. “Besides the kids with special needs, we are also considerate about the safety of other students. We haven’t released any date sheet yet,” NIOS chairperson Saroj Sharma told TOI.
The parents have also sought a generous and rational distribution of marks on the lines of CBSE.