For the first time across the state, a special examination centre was set up in Ramakunja in Kadaba taluk, at the doorstep of victims of endosulfan poisoning who were facing SSLC examinations as private candidates.
If not for the intervention of Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Dr Rajendra K V, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) Sudhakar K and other officials, the five endosulfan sufferers studying in Seva Bharathi’s Vidya Chethana School in Ramakunja would have been forced to endure endless inconveniences in order to write SSLC examinations at Vivekananda English Medium School in Thenkila in Puttur taluk (about 34 km from Ramakunja), said Vidya Chethana School’s headmistress Sashikala.
She recollects that after year-long efforts to train the five children in writing SSLC examinations, they were disappointed on being informed that the differently-abled children writing SSLC examinations as private candidates should travel to Mangaluru.
“As these children suffer from motor impairment and complex disabilities, their caregivers and scribes need to accompany them,” said Sashikala.
Dr Rajendra, realising that it was a logistics nightmare to ferry the children to and from the examination centre in Mangaluru, wrote to the government on identifying an SSLC examination centre close to the houses of endosulfan sufferers.
The government did respond and issued hall tickets to five endosulfan sufferers identifying Thenkila as the examination centre.
“When the deputy commissioner was informed about the centre being 33 km away from Ramakunja, he had directed the DDPI to identify Ramakunjeshwara Degree College as the special examination centre. Accordingly, the DDPI not only set up the special examination centre in Ramakunjeshwara Degree College but also deputed four staff members, including an examination superintendent, to ensure that the SSLC examination was conducted without any hassles on Monday,” added Sashikala.
The five endosulfan sufferers including Suresha, Mohan, Vijesh, Padmashekar and Ramshid, said the examination centre located on the ground floor had all facilities including drinking water.
Sashikala, expressing her gratitude to Ramakunjeshwara College principal Satish Bhat, said the principal and his staff had gone out of their way to sensitise and train five scribes including Dhikshitha, Deepa, Manisha, Kavyashree and Anvita who are students of the ninth standard.