Against All Odds: Lucknow Student With Visual, Hearing Impairments Scores 98.75% In ISC Class 12 Exams

Lucknow: In a story that reads more like a testament to human will than an examination result, Sarah Moin of Lucknow has turned adversity into academic brilliance, securing 98.75 per cent marks (best of four subjects) in the ISC Class 12 examinations.

The 19-year-old, who lives with both visual and hearing impairment and is battling a rare condition such as sarcoidosis, emerged as one of the top performers in her school, scoring 98.2 per cent in her best of five subjects.

Her result includes perfect 100 marks each in Geography and Mass Media & Communication, 98 in English, 97 in History and 96 in Psychology, along with an A grade in SUPW and Community Service, according to her scorecard seen by PTI.

Sarah, a resident of the Hussain Ganj area, comes from a family including her father, Moin Ahmad Idris, her mother, Julee Hamid, and an elder brother who serves as a high court lawyer. For her, conventional classrooms were never the standard.

She studied at Christ Church College under Principal Rakesh Chattree and special educator Salman Ali Qazi, with support that extended beyond textbooks into communication, accessibility and daily learning tools.

She uses assistive technologies such as a braille display and Orbit Reader, which convert digital content into a readable tactile format. At home too, she continues her studies using similar devices that allow her to read, write and interact with a computer independently.

Teachers and classmates have long drawn parallels between her resilience and that of Helen Keller, often referring to her by that name, according to her father.

Helen Keller was an American author, lecturer and disability rights advocate who overcame blindness and deafness to become one of the most influential voices for persons with disabilities worldwide. Her life continues to be cited globally as an example of overcoming severe sensory impairment through education and determination.

Her father, Moin Ahmad Idrisi, told PTI that despite her achievements, appearing in competitive examinations remains a major hurdle due to a lack of adequate accessibility provisions for deaf-blind candidates.

"She wants to become an IAS officer and work for people, especially disabled children," he said, adding that she studied with continuous guidance from her special educator and school authorities.

He further appealed to examination bodies to allow candidates like Sarah to use assistive devices such as laptops and braille displays instead of relying solely on scribes.

"In her case, a scribe cannot fully capture her answers. She needs accessible tools to express herself," Idris told PTI.

Sarah had earlier scored 94 per cent in Class 10 and is preparing for the next stage of her academic journey with the same determination that has already turned her ISC result into a story of inspiration.

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