Beno Zephine: In a first, candidate with 100% visual disability set to join IFS

By NewsGram Staff Writer

Tamil Nadu: Beno Zephine, 25- year-old woman from Tamil Nadu, has become the first-ever 100 per cent visually challenged person to become an IFS officer. On 12^th June, she was informed by the External Affairs Ministry, that she has been admitted into Indian Foreign Service.

"I am really thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for taking this big decision. I am told the IFS was not identified for the blind. They make certain exceptions for candidates with low vision," Beno told a national daily.

"I am grateful that in order to give me the assignment, the central government has modified some parameters," Beno added.

In 2014, she secured an impressive all-India 343 rank in the country's most prestigious examination. However, her post remained pending for over a year.

Beno Zephine, completed her masters in English at Loyola College, and is now pursuing Ph.D. at Bharatiyar University.

As per a report by the Times of India, Beno transcended the dependence on Braille books by switching to Job Access With Speech (JAWS), a software that allows visually challenged to read from a computer screen, to scan Tamil and English books.

She wishes to meet PM Modi and Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Jayalalitha before joining the service.

"I want to seek their blessings and thank them for all the support", she told the national daily.