Dyslexic students can avoid maths, science in SSLC
Certificate from designated authority must to claim exemption
Children with specific learning disability (SLD) or dyslexia have a reason to celebrate. The State government has given them an option to drop mathematics and general science from their studies in SSLC.
The students, in lieu of these subjects can select any two among the five - Indian Political Science, Indian Economics, Indian History, Hindustani music and Carnatic music.
This option was so far available to visually challenged students only. The government order dated July 6, 2009 states that the children with specific learning disability can avail the benefit from the academic year 2009-10. The parents of such children have to approach the school authorities with a certificate by a competent authority.
Designated authorities
The order also names the authorities competent to certify specific learning disability - Nimhans, Bangalore; All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore; practising psychiatrists in government hospitals; Clinical psychologists having a minimum qualification of M Phil, attested by a doctor not below the rank of a district surgeon, and Malleswaram Dyslexia Association. Parents can obtain certificates from any of these authorities.
Prof S Gopalan of Malleswaram Dyslexia Association said that children with learning disability face difficulty in solving mathematical sums and understanding basic science.
“I realised this while interacting with a ninth standard girl. When I asked her what is the number after 345, the reply was 445! It is a disability. If parents notice this disability at an early age it can be tackled with constant care and special attention”, he said.
Major obstacle
According to a study by NCERT, over three crore children across the country suffer from this disability.
“The major obstacle in tackling the problem is that parents are not ready to accept that their kids have disability. In the last academic year only 209 students with SLD took the help of scribes to answer the papers in SSLC”, he said.
As in the case of visually challenged students, children with learning disability can also take the assistance of scribes in SSLC examination, and are allowed to use simple calculators. In addition, spelling mistakes committed by them needed to be condoned in all examinations from first to 10th standard.
Gopalan said Malleswaram Dyslexia Association would guide the parents on obtaining certificates and special care for such children.
The organisation can be contacted on 080-23446058 or 9341919101.
