SSLC valuation set for smooth sail

The evaluation of SSLC examination answer scripts began on Monday. The process is set for a smooth finish as high school teachers have withdrawn their boycott of work after Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda assured them that their demands would be looked into.

Taking cue from PU lecturers, who had boycotted the evaluation of pre-university examination papers demanding a hike in salary, high school teachers had also planned a stir. However, they withdrew their protest following the chief minister’s assurances and in the interest of students.

The evaluation began at 208 centres across the State. As many as 47,000 teachers are taking part in the exercise.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) director D Venkateshaiah said that in a majority of the centres, the evaluators attendance was cent per cent, while in a few places, some examiners were absent due to personal problems. However, the Board has instructed all the deputy directors to bring to its notice any shortage in the number of examiners.

“As all the examiners are from the same district and nobody has to travel far, it is easy to replace examiners if the need arises. As of now, everything is under control,” he added.

The valuation process will be completed by May first week and the date of the result has been tentatively fixed for May 20, Venkateshaiah said.

St Joseph’s School, St Anne’s School (Rajajinagar), Nirmala Rani School, and Government Girls’ School in Malleswaram are some of the evaluation centres in the City. Bangalore has 22 centres, in the North, South and Rural districts.

Twenty-four papers a day

Each examiner evaluates a maximum of 24 papers per day, for core subjects of 100 marks. An examiner evaluates 20 first language papers per day. Examiners are paid Rs 8.30 per paper for first language subjects, Rs 8 for core subjects and Rs 7.5 for second and third language subjects. In addition, they get TA/DA allowance.

The members of Karnataka State High School Masters’ Association told this paper that evaluators in Bangalore were paid Rs 85 as DA, and those outside Rs 75. Their demand was that they be paid remuneration for valuation on a par with their PU counterparts. “The government has promised a revision in remuneration the following year and we are awaiting it,” Manjunath HK, president of the association, said.

The revision is made every three years. The department officials, however, say it is premature to discuss hike in remuneration at this point of time.