I for an Eye- My Scribe experiences
My Scribe experience happened so many years ago, in Chennai. Honestly, I wanted to help people who cannot help themselves. There are so many motivated young people who want to be successful and be educated in life but are handicapped physically. Yes, we have statistics of what if every dead person donates their eyes in India, we can cure all the blind people in India. It is wishful thinking, many young blood donors do not even donate blood for that matter. I am not finding fault in the stars, but it is an honest rant about the ills plaguing our society.
I registered with a platform and a known person in Loyola College, Chennai for being an English/Tamil scribe. I was comfortable in writing both the languages or so I thought. I had not written a single Tamil word since my tenth standard. And Tamil is a difficult language to write, there is no cursiveness or short form to it. There is no etc., Eg: and short-form notations to make your life easy.
My first opportunity came for an English exam on business economics. I loved the subject and knew something about it as well. Since this was my first experience, I was nervous than the student. I was not sure if I could write it as fast we the person was dictating. What if I could not fast enough the and person fails in the subject. This would be my fault and not his/hers. I did not want to carry the burden of it. Tamil has a beauty to it, when Kalaignar was asked, he named them “matru thirnaligal” meaning differently-abled. Yes, it is true, he has the ability to see in the darkness which we do not possess. We shall not rate him by our standard ability.
It is not blind or or handicapped but visually impaired or differently abled
He was a star student and I had no idea of it. He introduced himself and thanked me even before the exam. I was provided a biscuit and a beverage. I asked him if he wanted, he said No, sir it is for you. The exam was for 3 hours, and I had to read him the question, and he would render the answers. He put in a pre-condition that he had been scoring very well in his last exams. That was for a pointer ahead, that I should be writing all of the words. One disadvantage is since the students have not written, they are unable to gauge the speed of writing. If we are writing, we know and we think as we write. But since the thoughts and words came from him, they were quick. I tried so hard to match his speed. He was so good in his answers, I had no need to put my brain to use.
I had an ethical dilemma. Is it ethical to write the answers for the student, if you knew it? I was thinking that I should write the answers only if I am cent percent sure. This is good for borderline students. What about students who want to ace the test. Are they comfortable in someone else helping them?. This guy was honest enough to rubbish such help, he said he has studied enough and will walk on his own legs. How since is he, amidst so many students who want to copy others and ace the test.
I still remember him explaining the difference between public vs private sector companies. He has gotten a pencil, scale and asked me to go for differentiation in a tabular format. I had done myself and drew two columns, he wanted three. He said, two spaces are for the content, and another is one for the classification of content. Like ownership type: and then the content for both private and public. I was caught in the square leg. How brilliant and honest is this guy, may he win all the laurels in the world. My fingers were literally aching, given he had so much to offer. I was pretty confident he would get 90% on the same. This was one of the few times, I gave 110% for an exam. I parted ways with him, with the experience and this wisdom.
The next one was again an English language exam student in a government school. All these people were working hard for clearing exams, as the state government had jobs for such people. This person had not studied well it seems and it was evident from the under confidence he displayed. This is completely fair when we have students with a pair of eyes bunking classes. He started telling the answers and kept repeating the same words again. I reminded him that he had already told it, and then he started telling me new. Now when I think, it seems I had done wrong, we all used to blabber and write stories in our exam. Maybe that person wanted to do such and fill pages. How arrogant of me to correct his answers for his exam. I completed the exam, my apologies, he completed the exam. Everyone has a protocol, they thank us before and after the exam and politely decline the snacks offered.
Most of them have access to audio aids and translations of their books. Now with google translate and audio tools and the rise of digital technology. I sincerely hope that they have access to these modern aids. There was recent news of a visually impaired girl from Kerala clearing IFS exams. Such news is gladdening and gives a ray of hope for people afflicted with such impairment.
My next one was for a Tamil student, again in Loyola College, Chennai. I was writing in Tamil after a long time, and this girl was an above-average student. She blew my knuckles with her Tamil skills and had detailed answers for all questions. I barely caught a breath and was writing quickly than my own Tamil exams.
My question on my mind then and now was, what if I make a spelling mistake? would the person be punished for that, I am sure No, for I am the one to be blamed for that. I still remember her words after the exam, she told, this was the first time, that, a scribe has completed all she had to say during an exam. I pat myself on the back then and now. It seems more often, people would struggle to catch up due to limited Tamil writing skills, not quick enough to write. So, a scribe has to be more academically qualified than the student.
Unfortunately, now no such school teacher vacancies exist and there are no scribe opportunities available in Chennai. But Bengaluru seems to have more such postings regularly for visually impaired people. Other challenged people can manage with a crutch, electric wheelchair, hearing aid machine, or a cochlear implant, but no such options for visual people.
You always gain more, when you give, more so, to the people in true need
