While the government approved extra 20 minutes to students suffering from thalassaemia last year, they seem to have merged their data with that of students with learning disability
This year, 908 students with learning disability are appearing for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam.
Out of 908 learning disability students, the state has not separately recorded the number of students suffering from thalassaemia. File pic
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However, while collating this data, the Maharashtra state board of secondary and higher secondary education (MSBSHSE) has not kept any count of the number of students who suffer from thalassaemia, an inherited form of anaemia caused by faulty synthesis of haemoglobin.
Last year, Dr Vinky Rughwani, president of the Thalassaemia Society of India, proposed the provision of extra 20 minutes after every one-hour of the paper for students suffering from the disorder.
The state government approved the same for all students suffering from any form of learning disability. While the Mumbai division board kept a record of the number of SSC students with learning disability, they claim that children suffering from thalassaemia have been merged in the data.
'We need awareness'
According to the Nagpur doctor, there is not much awareness about the concession for thalassaemia students in schools.
Dr Rughwani said, “The board should have sent a notice to all the schools about the concession. We hope that next year there is more awareness about the disorder and the provision.”
When checked with Krishnakumar Patil, secretary of MSBSHSE, Pune, he said, “We don’t have any specific data about thalassaemia students appearing for SSC exams. Maybe the divisional board has the data.”
A similar response was given by Laxmikant Pandey, chairman of Mumbai division board, who said, “We have not kept any separate data of the number of students suffering from thalassaemia who applied for the provision. We merged all learning disability students together.”
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