DISABLING THE ABLE

   

Divya Nair
Visually impaired Delhi student Kartik Sawhney has repeatedly been denied permission to appear for the IIT-JEE in the past three years because of his disability. However, in March 2013, he was awarded a fully funded scholarship to pursue engineering at Stanford University in the US. This is his story.

For three years in a row, he has been denied permission to appear for the IIT-JEE; he was told that there is no provision for blind students to take the competitive exam. But he did not lose hope and applied to universities abroad.
And in March 2013, Sawhney received a fully funded scholarship to pursue a five-year engineering programme at Stanford University. Once armed with this degree, he intends to "improve the condition of visually impaired back in India".
In this interview, the inspiring young man discusses the many challenges he's faced to come this far, what miffs him about the Indian administration and tells us what keeps him going.

FULL TEXT: http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-achievers-kartik-sawhney-rejected-by-iits-opts-for-stanford/20130606.htm

NIPIN'S CREATIVE HOMAGE TO THE ONE AND ONLY ONE RITUPARNO GHOSH

SCHOOLS TEACHERS AND STUDENTS: RETHINKING

 
 Geoffrey Canada: OUR FAILING SCHOOLS: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

 


 
VISIT: http://www.ted.com/talks/geoffrey_canada_our_failing_schools_enough_is_enough.html


 BETH DECKER COMMENTS:    www.getreallearning.com

I am just as angry as Mr. Canada...As a high school teacher who's been harrassed and stifled for being innovative, I struggle to keep the hope for any real change. I created a very successful class and curriculum to help teens to learn about themselves and what education really means, discover more about the REAL world and their hopes and dreams, give them tools to change their outlook and overcome obstacles all with the ultimate goal of spark desire for their futures while learning about their options after high school. Fail rates are down, test scores are up but my school/district refuses to support it, make sure all students have access or even buy books for the class.
WHY? because I, a lowly teacher/widowed mother of 3, who feared not being able to help her own teens navigate their way to successful lives in this complex world, had the nerve to begin researching and developing a book so I would have something to help my children and then brought it to my classroom with great enthusiasm from students.
I was accused of only doing it all just to make money and teachers aren't supposed to do that!! I started a scholarship at my school with nearly all the profit I make on book sales while also helping my own children finance their college educations.
I know I am not the only teacher out here who is creating innovative solutions to the apathy and disconnected youth...The problem is no one out there with any power, pull or influence can see or hear us.
We are in classrooms with doors shut alone with students and the world is "too busy" to care.

ANANDI SHARAN ADDRESSES STUDENTS ON CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGIATION

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS NIPIN!