‘Nethra Sarathy,’ an online testing tool is expected to be ready in eight months
In what could be a major boost for visually challenged persons -
applying for bank jobs - the Institute for Banking Personal Selections
(IBPS) will develop an online testing tool to enable them to take the
test without scribes, for the first time.
The biggest testing and skill-building organisation has joined hands
with International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore
(IIITB) and the National Association for the Blind Karnataka (NABK),
to develop ‘Nethra Sarathy,’ the testing tool, in about eight months.
The tool will be deployed nationally for all visually challenged
candidates taking the test by the end of 2012, IBPS Director
Balachandran told Deccan Herald over the phone, from Mumbai.
“There are nearly 1.45 million visually challenged persons aged
between 20 and 29 in the country and 50 per cent of them apply for
bank jobs,” Balachandran said.
“Finding the right kind of scribes who would adequately reflect their
ability to answer questions in a banking test remained the biggest
impediment for them to crack the test and find gainful employment in
the banking sector. We hope the new tool would obviate the need for
scribes and allow them to take advantage of the technology available,”
he said.
Training
IIITB Director and President of NABK Prof S Sadagopan said nearly 100
visually challenged candidates who had applied for bank exams last
year from Karnataka would be trained in the newly-designed tool to
check whether absence of scribe obstructs their speed or efficiency in
answering questions.
“The testing software has to be compatible with the screen reading
software the visuall challenged use to read and write on a PC. But we
need to ensure that the system in place is stable enough for them to
take the exam without trouble,” he added.
While IIITB would work on the patches which can be downloaded and
fixed to ensure stability of performance and connectivity throughout
the test period, NABK would put the tool to test and check whether the
candidates feel comfortable using the online tool than a scribe.
“The 100 students would be trained under the computer training
programme we have at NABK and, at the end of the pilot project to test
the tool, they would either be allowed to take the real test for bank
jobs or offered more training and placement through our computer
course,” said NABK Secretary V Mohan Kumar.
Last year, more than 8,000 visually challenged candidates appeared for
the recruitment test conducted by IBPS for the banking sector, one of
the largest recruiters of visually challenged persons. Due to
non-availability of well groomed and qualified scribes, many of them
find it hard to clear the test.
“We would like to conclude the testing of the tool in seven to eight
months –or possibly a month more—and deploy it across the country by
the end of 2012,” said IBPS Professor and Head of R&D Division Dr M L
Dutt, who is in charge of ‘Nethra Sarathy’.
Source:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/223887/blind-can-soon-do-away.html
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