JOIN USThe evaluation of nearly 31.5 lakh answer scripts of the just-concluded II PU examinations resumed at 12 centres across the State, including eight in Bangalore, on Saturday even as the State government said that it was “100 percent sure” that more protesting lecturers would report for work on Sunday.
G Kumar Naik, Principal Secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education, told reporters here that the government had been in talks with the protesters.
He hoped that the impasse would be resolved in a few days. The resumption of evaluation was not “as per our expectation, even so it is worthwhile,” Naik pointed out.
The lecturers had begun boycott of paper evaluation on April 13 after talks with the government failed.
The protesters want an increase in their salaries, among other things.
“The boycott comes after a particularly tough season. There was a leakage (of question papers) of unprecedented nature. Students are harassed,” the official remarked.
According to him, the government cannot just succumb to the lecturers’ demands because they are just “a small part” of its staff.
Naik refuted the lecturers’ allegations on pay disparity, saying nothing is ambiguous. “Everything is in black and white. The teachers are more or less paid on a par with their counterparts from the neighbouring states,” he said.
According to the official, the Pay Commission has drawn some conclusions on the recommendations submitted by a committee headed by him. “The Finance Bill has already been passed. An ex gratia of Rs 500 has been proposed. Let the government decide,” Naik pointed out, saying the lecturers would be paid at least Rs 29,400.
‘Prevented’
Naik claimed that lecturers were reportedly prevented by some “vested interests” from taking part in evaluation at some centres in the City. Also, the absence of Deputy Chief Examiners (DCEs) at other places hindered the evaluation.
To ensure that the absence of DCEs does not affect evaluation, the senior-most evaluator would take their charge and carry out the work, Naik said.
Meanwhile, the department had a “detailed two-hour discussion” with representatives of the protesters in the morning.
The official refused to specify the action the government would take if the lecturers do not fall in line. “For now, we are confident of persuading them. We are not thinking of replacing the 15,000-odd lecturers.”
The DPUE faces a notional loss of Rs 1.5 crore every day, because of the boycott.
‘Results by April-end’
The DPUE said it would declare the results by April-end if lecturers reported for evaluation in full attendance for the next 10 days.