Ineligible teachers check board answer papers: MLC

Ineligible teachers check board answer papers: MLC

Mumbai : Member of Legislative Council, Ramnath Mote, created a sensation by alleging that unauthorized teachers have been checking and evaluating the answer sheets of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) examinations conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE).

Mote, in a letter to education minister Vinod Tawde, alleged that scores of teachers who are checking SSC and HSC answer papers are not authorised by the education department. This raises a question mark over the quality of evaluation in the state board.

Every year, odd 3 million students appear for the SSC and HSSC examinations and over five lakh students appear for re-examination. According to the board guidelines, there should be one teacher for every 250 students and one moderator per ten teachers for evaluation work. Only experienced teachers should be given the task of paper checking and those who have long experience are entrusted with moderator’s responsibility. Only these authorised teachers should carry out the checking and monitoring task of board answer papers.

Mote alleged that board officials illegally give the task of paper checking to inexperienced teachers for their vested interests. These teachers do not have required educational qualification and teaching experience of the concerned subject.

Mote said that he made repeated complaints to the state board officials in this regards, however, the board did not take cognizance of it. He said that if the situation continues, then he will approach the court in this matter.

A board official, on the condition of anonymity, said, “On several occasions it is observed that major schools and senior teachers are reluctant to take responsibility of paper checking and moderation. Board always gives preference to experienced teachers and when they say refuse to carry out this work then the board goes for next in seniority.”

Source | Free Press Journal | 29 July 2015