In unusual move, Goa board lets three accident-hurt kids take exam from bed

Panaji: A student from Pernem found himself injured in a road accident in the midst of his Class X state board exams. With his left leg entirely in a plaster, the teenager was confined to bed.

This is when his school decided to step in and sought special permission from the Goa board of secondary and higher secondary education to allow the boy to answer the exam from a bed.Goa board chairman Bhagirath Shetye said that for four such students, all injured in road accidents, the board has allowed such concessions during the ongoing Class X exams.The family of the student, who studies at St Rita’s High School, Colvale, was allowed to transport the boy along with an adjustable bed to the exam centre.

Within the centre, a dedicated examination hall was created for the student.“We created a separate room in the school where the exam is taking place,” said Shetye. “The arrangement for the bed and its transport have been made by his family. He will write all the remaining exam papers from his bed in the room created for him as an exam hall. We have provided him with a writer too if he gets tired writing the exam. We can make any such concession for students to write their board exams where they have genuine medical reasons and are eager to take the exam in the same year.

”The chairman said that another girl from Sanquelim was also similarly provided a writer, while a brother-sister duo was also given concessions at Canacona, with the girl writing the exam from a bed.“We take all due care like providing a writer from a lower class like Class VIII or IX. We also take all medical certifications from them before the concessions are provided,” said the chairman. Shetye said that earlier concessions have been provided to students with disabilities, and that in these cases it is a rare occasion where injured students are allowed to answer from their bedThe mother of the Colvale school student said, “My son was injured in an accident on Jan 17.

His entire left leg is in a plaster and he cannot walk. He cannot sit up. He is lying in bed. The accident took place around his exams. Thanks to the Goa board they provided a writer to him as well. We are hoping his exam goes well.”St Rita’s headmistress Roshan Noronha said that the school sought special permission from the board, and that officials were extremely proactive in resolving the issue in the student’s interest. “We wrote to the board and they allowed a bed to be taken to the exam hall. It is a reclining bed which allows him back support to sit up. A writer is also provided in case he gets tired while writing. We are very happy the student benefited and the Goa board helped,” she said.