Two grads with no PG degree in sight

Ahmedabad: David Joshi and Nilesh Solanki are friends who first met at Blind People's Association (BPA). The two friends are visually impaired as they have just have 30% vision in only one eye. Yet they have made it to the merit list prepared for admission to a postgraduate course in social work.

They are, however, planning against taking admission as their parents cannot afford the fee of Rs 30,000 a year.

Solanki said his father works in a computer shop and does not earn enough to pay for his higher studies. He said he had no option but to quit further studies as the government has no scheme under which they could seek finances for their education. Solanki is a BA in economics (as the main subject) with 69% marks.

Similarly, David Joshi said his father is a priest in a temple and gets Rs 4500 with several mouths to feed.

"He cannot pay my fees and, hence, I too will be forced to quit studies. If I had no disability, I would have done some part-time job and earned to fulfill my dream," Joshi said.

He further said that both Solanki and he were the only visually-challenged students to get admission in MSW.

"The University had organized a written examination and an interview to judge us. We were found good enough for admission and included in the merit list," said David, who graduated with sociology and secured 59% marks.