PU, HEC served notices over alleged discrimination against visually impaired student

Published January 14, 2019
Kinza Sajid says she was first told to not take an entrance exam and later not provided a question paper in large font. — File
Kinza Sajid says she was first told to not take an entrance exam and later not provided a question paper in large font. — File

The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notices to the Punjab University (PU) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) regarding the alleged discrimination against a visually impaired woman wishing to appear in the entrance exam for a Master’s programme.

Read: Challenges that Persons with Disabilities face

According to a petition filed in the LHC, gold medallist Kinza Sajid was not allowed to take the admission test for clinical psychology and that the university had refused to print the examination paper in a larger font upon her request.

Sajid was first "called and told to not show up for the exam, but later, after much pleading, was allowed to appear in the exam," the application said.

Once there, Sajid was not given a question paper printed in a large font, which she had requested for. This resulted in her not being able to properly read and respond to questions in the exam, the petition adds.

Furthermore, the petition claims that Sajid was kicked out of the examination hall during the course of the exam and that she was failed by a margin of five marks.

Subsequently, PU and HEC were ordered by the court to send its representatives in the next hearing of the case, which has been set for Jan 30.

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