Overcoming all odds: Visually impaired, night school students fare well in HSC exam results

Pune: Visually impaired student Snehal Kachare (17), who bagged a significant score of 77.87% in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Std XII board exam results declared on Monday, said consistent preparation helped her with the achievement."I started my preparation last June. I created a study timetable and systematically followed it. I also referred to guidebooks and audio recordings to achieve my goal. I found economics to be the most difficult paper," she told TOI.Several students like Snehal, tackling physical or economic challenges, overcame all odds to pass the board exam with flying colours this year. Many other visually impaired students like her utilised tools like audio recordings, videos on platforms like YouTube, and Braille books to prepare for the papers.Snehal's father works in a bank in Kolhapur, and her mother is a homemaker. She added that her parents constantly encouraged her and were actively involved in her progress.Her mother, Savita Kachare, said, "We never had to tell Snehal to study. She was always self-motivated and used to wake up at 4-5am to study." She added that her daughter's dream is to be an IAS officer, and she has already started working towards it.Snehal is one of 12 students of the National Federation of The Blind Maharashtra-run (NFBM) Jagriti Skill Development Centre (SDC) who sat for the board exam this year.Swati Ingole (17) was second-highest scorer from the centre with 69%, while Laxmi Gite (18) secured 64.17%. Aarti Takawane, head of the NFBM-SDC, said, "Swati hails from Beed district, and her father is a teacher. She excels in the English subject and is also learning German. Laxmi is from Pune, and her father works in the construction sector. She is a good dancer and takes initiative for co-curricular activities."All three scholars study at the St Mira's College for Girls in the city and travel by public transport. They visit the SDC twice a week, where they learn subjects like German, conversational English, computer courses, and also get additional coaching in other academic subjects.The SDC has till date facilitated around 18 placements in the last three years in various private sectors for visually impaired students at the post-graduation level.Night school students pull off a balancing actElsewhere, around 75 students appeared for their HSC exam from the Poona Night High School and Junior College under Saraswati Mandir Sanstha.Nanded resident Maithili Mahendra Dhadve (17), one of these night school students, topped her college with 73.17%. "I work at an electronics company that makes components for televisions. I used to go to college after work, and it was challenging managing work and studies. I plan to pursue banking in the future, so I have started preparations for that as well," she shared.Another night school student, Chiplun resident Roshan Dike (18), scored 72.83% in the board exam. "I work as a waiter at a restaurant at present. I used to go to night college after my shift was over. I took half a day at work for the last two months before the exams so that I could study. I found English and accounts to be the most difficult subjects," he said.