Tuberculosis is a disease of great importance in developing countries, such as India, where it has caused considerable morbidity and mortality. Sputum smear microscopy is the cornerstone in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, which is usually done using Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) method (Vasanthakumari et al., 1986; Gupta et al., 2009; Chandrasekaran et al., 1991). The use of ZN Method in remote areas...