The students have already cleared three out of the five subjects required to pass the secondary exams. Though not all of them have secured similar results, teachers claim that their performance is exceptional, coming from disabled students.

The students, who enrolled for the Board exam in 1997, have secured an average of more than 60 per cent (equivalent to first class) in English, Business Studies and Science in which exams were held in November, last year.

Business Studies seems to have caught the fancy of students with one of them, Nandish, securing 77 marks and G Latha, 64. The Society's teachers are thrilled with the results which were announced last week.

``It took some time for us to accept the concept of NOS but the students were ready to face the challenge. In fact, it wastheir spirit that encouraged us to experiment with the scheme'', one of the teachers, Geetha Shankar told this newspaper.

Teachers followed a regular pattern while handling classes. Besides subject matter, students were taught lessons through question and answer formats and regular tests.

But, the real problem cropped up with a dearth of volunteers to write exams as only those who are below 14 years are eligible to answer papers. ``We had to go in search of volunteers and plead with school authorities to let their students act as volunteers. Apart from this, there was no problem with exams,'' teachers said.

This, however, has not deterred the enthusiasm of either teachers or students. The Society is even contemplating writing a letter to the Chairman of the NOS to set up an exclusive centre at the Spastics Society to facilitate other disabled students to pass their Secondary Exams.

``The NOS gave special permission to our students to take up the Secondary exams. Not all other disabled children willhave the opportunity to answer exams in other centres and a centre exclusive to the disabled would definitely encourage other students. We have decided to petition the Chairman of the NOS to permit us to set up a centre here,'' said Geetha.

NOS SCHEME: The NOS was set by the Ministry of Human Resources Development of Government of India as an autonomous institution to provide opportunities for school drop-outs. Under the NOS scheme of Secondary exams, which is equivalent to tenth standard, a student should clear five subjects within a period of five years.

The scheme has, however, been hit by lack of encouragement. ``Though the scheme is not inferior to the State exams or other Board exams, it is not popular enough. If the Karnataka Government follows the policy of other Governments such as Haryana and introduce NOS in the State language, then it provides opportunities to the deprived classes to become qualified'', said K S Krishna Iyer, whose school is an accredited institution of theNOS.