High cost of Braille books in Tamil Nadu a barrier for blind students

Books in Braille in Tamil Nadu are at least 30% higher than others, which is becoming a major hurdle for blind students in Tamil Nadu. Another problem is that textbooks for various subjects are not available in adequate quantities.

This means that many blind students have to request their sighted classmates to read out from their textbooks, record it and listen to it again and again to understand the subjects.

Several subjects are not available in Braille editions, like comparative politics. Some Braille books even cost 50-60% higher than usual.

This is a major barrier for students who are not well off as they cannot afford such high priced books.

The 2011 census shows that there are 1,27,405 visually impaired persons in Tamil Nadu. Organisations are asking for help from donors to help bring down the cost of printing books in Braille.

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