Scribe bank launches at Jadavpur University to support visually impaired students during exams

KOLKATA: A centralised, technology-enabled platform, the Scribe Bank, connecting students with visual impairment and other disabilities to verified volunteer scribes, covering end-to-end coordination from registration and scribe matching to examination-day support, was launched on Friday with an aim to address the “structural gap” so that no visually impaired students are turned away from examination for want of a writer.

The initiative has been taken by Save the Quest (STQ), a charitable trust, in collaboration with JU and funded by Indian Oil Corporation Limited under its CSR framework. The launching ceremony was held at Jadavpur University in presence of founder of Sruti Disability Centre Shampa Sengupta and Biswajit Ghosh, ex- principal of Ramkrishna Mission Blind Boys Academy and university officials, including vice-chancellor and registrar.

JU VC Chiranjib Bhattacharjee said, “The Scribe Bank is an important and timely initiative which will be helpful for our visually impaired students.”

Founder of STQ Saif Ahmad Khan said, “Every year, many visually impaired students lose academic years, sit outside examination halls, not because they didn’t prepare but because no one showed up to write for them. The law already guarantees this right. The Scribe Bank is how we make sure it is actually delivered reliably, with dignity, at scale to address this long-standing crisis.”

PG student Akash Das, member of Forum for Students with Disabilities, said, “This is a positive initiative but we will understand its effectiveness once it is rolled out. I feel it will be good for competitive exams rather than university exams.”

Project manager, West Bengal, Dhriti Pal said, “ Volunteers will receive structured orientation in inclusive examination practices, an honorarium of Rs 400 per completed scribing assignment, a certificate of participation and performance-based letters of recommendation. We are also connecting with other colleges and schools to spread the initiative. Our target is to onboard more than 6000 volunteers to help 3000 beneficiaries."

The event included a detailed walkthrough of the Scribe Bank platform, awareness sessions, volunteer onboarding drives, beneficiary interaction segments and a felicitation ceremony honouring contributors to inclusive education initiatives. A student-led awareness theatre, performance by visual impaired students of the univesity and direct beneficiary and scribe experience-sharing sessions further highlighted the social and emotional impact of inaccessible examination systems.