Guwahati, Aug 18: The All Assam Blind Students’ Union has raised a series of demands concerning education, employment, skill development and social security for visually impaired students in Assam, calling for immediate steps to address their long-pending problems. Addressing a press conference at the Gauhati Press Club on Monday, the union said the shortage of Braille teachers and textbooks in schools for visually impaired students was affecting their education. The union also pointed to a lack of Braille textbooks. It said the shortage of study materials was affecting students and making it difficult for them to keep up with their education. The students also raised concerns over the way certain subjects are taught for competitive and academic examinations. They said visually impaired students do not get suitable alternatives for map-based questions in history and face difficulties in mathematics during competitive examinations due to the lack of necessary tools. The union demanded better skill development centres specifically designed for visually impaired students to help them acquire skills and improve their employment opportunities. It also sought equal opportunities for visually impaired candidates in recruitment through the Assam Direct Recruitment Examination (ADRE). On higher education, the union said although there was a provision for 5% reservation for visually impaired students, it was not being properly implemented in Assam. It pointed out that reservation for such students was being implemented at institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and the University of Delhi. The union further demanded that the government address discrepancies in the Deen Dayal Divyangjan and pension schemes and the Orunodoi scheme. It also alleged that some people who are not visually impaired are availing themselves of benefits under the disability quota and called for steps to prevent such misuse. The union urged the government to form a high-level committee to examine these issues and take measures to address the long-pending demands of visually impaired students in the State.