HC allows students with LD to use calculator in Jr Colleges

Mumbai, Aug 9 (UNI) Bombay High Court today allowed the students with learning disabilities (LD) to use calculators for mathematics, accounts and book-keeping exams in eleventh and twelth standards.

According to the rule, LD students are given extra time to solve their papers, but the court held that they should be allowed to use calculators.

A division bench comprising Justices R M Lodha and N H Patil was hearing a suo moto writ petition filed by Dr Sanjay Mhatre, who wrote in a letter to the High Court seeking relief for his daughter as she is a dyslexic and studying in the Commerce stream.

The court had formed an expert committee in February last year to decide whether calculators should be used by the students and the committee recommended that not only LD students but all should be allowed to use calculators.

However, they stated that the usage of calculators would not necessarily improve the performance of LD students, as they could punch wrong numbers and commit more mistakes than otherwise.

The State Education Board, however, did agree to the usage of calculators in exams by any student.

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