Dyslexic children of Karnataka enjoy concessions while writing 10th Standard examinations this year.

The State government has decided to allow children with learning disabilities to use simple calculators and assistance of scribe to read out questions during the exams. In addition, spelling mistakes, except in case of proper nouns, will be ignored while evaluating their answer scripts. Principal Secretary (Education Department) Dr R G Nadadur, in a notification issued on February 21st has announced these concessions.

The concessions comes into effect immediately. Those students writing the SSLC examination this year can avail of the benefits.

Besides, the Government in an order in 2008 allowed those children to study only one language and get extra 30 per cent time to write examinations. The new order has also changed examination pattern for dyslexic students from 1st to 9th Standard. Those in the 1st and 2nd Standard will have only oral test. Those in 3rd and 4th Standard will face written exam only for 25 marks and for the rest 75 marks answer orally.

Those in 5th, 6th and 7th Standards have to write for 50 per cent of examination in oral and the rest in written.

Students in 8th and 9th Standard will have 30 of oral assessment and 70 per cent written test.

But those in 10th Standard have to write for a total 100 marks. Prof K S Gopalan, president of Malleswaram Dyslexia Association said that these concessions for dyslexic children had been in effect in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states for many years.

After constant demand from many non-governmental organisations, the Government agreed to introduce these concessions.

Source: DH