To respond to the request from Ms. Kanchan Pamnani in 'Access India' on 8 Feb
2008, I would like to submit as follows:
A totally sightless person myself, I have been working for Punjab National
Bank for 22 years or so. I along with my other fellow visually disabled
employees in the Bank had been facing until 2006, a common problem at the
Examination Centre whenever each of us appeared for the Promotion Test. These
problems included:
Nowhere on the Notice Board at the Examination Centre were our Roll numbers
ever written/displayed, thus, keeping us in a chaotic and confused situation
that simply forced us to do nothing but stand and wait for someone to tell us
which room had been arranged or where to go and report.
Though the number, the names and the chosen medium of writing papers of the
visually disabled candidates appearing for the Test had been well known to the
Bank in advance, the arrangement of the room and the availability of the scribe
had been made at random in a shabby/perfunctory manner, just 5-10 minutes
before the paper would start. While our sighted counter-parts well began
writing their answers, we only start filling up our personal relevant details
in the answer sheet.
Most of the time, we landed up getting a scribe inconsistent with the
requirements coupled with late sitting, late supply of the Information Booklet,
late distribution of answer sheet and non-availability of
knowledgeable/responsible person at the relevant time for clarifications in
case of need, simply delayed, disrupted and slowed down the process of filling
up the applicable personal details and that of commencement, pace and
completion of writing the Test itself.
A great deal of time, that way, went already wasted/lost by the time we
settled down for writing our papers.
No time could we ever get for necessary familiarity and interaction with and,
understanding of the scribe in terms of genuine expectations and requirements,
say, his/her medium, fluency, adequate knowledge of what to tick where, etc.
Frustratingly, English medium candidate got Hindi medium scribe and the Hindi
medium candidate got English medium scribe.
Also, we were seated in the hurriedly arranged room mostly not orderly
-making some of us seated at the entrance of the room, too noisy particularly
during extra hour, no fan, no generator back up, Late distribution of question
paper and answer sheets, The responsible person coming and going, not timely
guiding what to fill etc.
Personally speaking, for reasons yet to be ascertained, the scribe assistance
provided to me in the August 13 2006 was a mere formality and mockery of the
arrangement. The scribe of the quality and standard as made available to me,
was so bad and inadequate that profoundly disadvantaged me and terribly
interfered with my ability to comprehend and attempt the entire question paper
for reasons of his weaknesses and inadequacies (inability to speak and read
even common/simple English words like: mention and sentences in the question
papers clearly, correctly, coherently and intelligibly). I doubt whether I
would have gone through even 40 questions. I would have certainly gone much
faster and attempted many more questions had I been provided a scribe of medium
of my choice who could speak and read the questions fluently, clearly,
correctly coherently and intelligibly. The question had to be repeated again
and again, owing to my inability to follow him. I had to simply
guess and sense what word it could be. As a result of that, I lost much of my
time in guessing the possibility of the words and phrases misread/misspoken
rather than finding out the correct answer.
Attention of the Bank Authorities was drawn to the occurrences and
irregularities and, when they ignored my submissions, the matter was referred
to the Office of Commission for Persons with Disabilities whereupon the Bank
responded as follows:
The scribe was provided to him through the Chief Test Administrator as per
Head Office guidelines. However his concern about the conduct of the exam has
been noted and next time better arrangement shall be made for candidates
including blind candidates.
The issue dragged on for a year with prolonged silence on the part of the
Bank. Much of the happenings as narrated to them pertaining to the
infrastructure and arrangements were tacitly acknowledged though the question
of providing a quality and standard scribe was put on the back burner with no
clear-cut commitment. For the time being, the matters stands resolved with
assurance from the Bank that my suggestions have been noted for consideration.
I had submitted to the Commission as follows:
Our Roll numbers and the room(s) should be displayed on the Notice Board at
the Centre as is always done in case of the sighted candidates. This will save
everyones time, help us to reach the allotted room and take our respective
seats well in time and allow us a little time to check anything going/gone
wrong, report the same to the concerned and seek remedy thereof.
The scribe(s) should report for his/her duties half-an-hour before the paper
to start in the room arranged for us so that we could get in touch with the
named scribe, confirm all the applicable aspects, seek correction if needed
and, begin our business well in time if everything is fine.
A separate and exclusive invigilator/supervisor should be provided for our
room with additional responsibility to ensure timely supply of relevant men and
materials, timely commencement of the process corrections and clarifications in
case of need.
The most sticky and contentious issue is that of a Quality and standard
scribe. The purpose of a scribe assistance/facility is to get informed of all
the visual aspects and getting the same handled properly and timely, getting
all the instructions, questions and the choices read fluently, quickly,
correctly, clearly and coherently enough in the chosen medium/language of the
candidate to enable him/her to understand, choose and act upon the right
choices as well as to move fast enough without unnecessary/avoidable
obstructions. It seems, the Bank simply picks up on predetermined quantum of
payment basis, the number of persons equal to that of the appearing visually
disabled candidates to act as their scribe from the same school where it holds
the examination, without ever applying any mind as to the essential attributes
and aptitude of the scribe medium, fluency, clarity, understanding of what to
fill up, where and in which technical terms and manner. Who gets which
scribe and of which medium at the Examination Centre, is purely a matter of
chance and coincidence.
If the bank cannot make proper selection of the scribe, it should leave to
the appearing candidates themselves to arrange one with full approval of the
same by the Bank. The Bank can check all the credentials and qualifications of
the scribe arranged by the appearing candidate.
If the Bank insists upon the Banks-Provided-Scribe-System, it can do so
providing for as follows:
The name and the medium of the scribe of each candidate should be made known
to the appearing candidate in advance preferably, at the same time as the
Information regarding Roll number and the Centre is supplied so as to enable
him/her to take up the matter with the Office/Officer concerned in event of any
error(s) or inconsistencies (Name and the medium not mentioned or the medium of
the mentioned scribe different from the appearing candidates stated one. It
need not inform of his/her other identities, say, School/college, residence,
telephone number and the like. Such a provision will help us to immediately
look for our respective scribes. This will help to remedy any situation
arising out of mismatch, say, the scribes getting inadvertently/erroneously
interchanged and so on.
It should be ensured that the scribe arranged by the Bank is
candidate-stated-medium-specific, generally and reasonably fast, fluent, clear
and conversant with all the visual parts/technical aspects of the paper where
to fill up which detail, where and in which technical/artistic fashion, whom to
contact for clarification in case of confusion, in how much low/loud voice to
read/speak, etc.
Even with these suggested inclusions, ultimately and fundamentally, the
Arrangement in question remains the same. We cannot be sure and certain of
sincerity, competence, obedience and faithfulness of such a scribe as picked up
at random whose identity, credentials and characteristics (qualification,
general patience, fluency, manner of speaking, communicativeness,
attentiveness, responsiveness and understanding/familiarity with the relevant
requirements of the task) are neither known nor knowable. Since it is the
Bank that invites, accepts and pays him/her, he/she is likely to go by any
advice, act in any prescribed manner and play on any tune called for by the
Bank.
If nothing else, this will give us in
course of the Test and thereafter, at least, an immediate psychological feeling
that there are/were no forced/imposed obvious unnecessary hurdles though
failing or passing any Test will be ultimately, in the hands of the Bank.
One of the reasons why the Bank seems to have been reluctant/resistant to the
idea of candidate-arranged-scribe is the Banks perception and suspicion that
the so-arranged scribe may be better than and superior to, or, of the same
standard as that of the candidate, hence, he/she would solve much of the paper
on his/her own. It may happen only if the self arranged scribe is a close
relative/friend of the candidate, competing for the same or similar goal at the
same time with the same intensity of endeavours as the candidate concerned.
That is quite unlikely and can be easily checked.
In theory and principle, I agree and advocate that the scribe should not be a
banker or in qualification, equal to or, higher than the appearing candidate.
However, such a view makes sense only in case where the candidate in need of
scribe is appearing for a particular paper/subject. It does not hold much good
in case of appearing for a general competition. The concept and the principle
of the scribe to be less qualified than the requirements of the post in general
for which, the visually disable employee appears, is flawed and capable of
causing serious hurdles to the candidates.
With regards,
Deena Nath,
Mob: 9868076288 9891873466
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