State ropes in retired lecturers for PU evaluation

The state government claimed on Thursday that it has the consent of 7,500 lecturers from government, aided and unaided colleges to ensure that evaluation of second PU answer scripts begins on Saturday.

The PU department has already issued a circular asking all the deputy chief examiners and assistant examiners to report for valuation work. The state government has also roped in retired lecturers for evaluation work. However, their exact number was not immediately known.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar told DH: “We have issued letters to all the eligible candidates and taken consent of 7,500 lecturers. We will be adding some more lecturers.” Ratnakar said that he was confident that around 50% of the lecturers will be reporting for valuation work.

Ajay Seth, principal secretary, Primary and Secondary Education Department, said under normal circumstances 15,000 to 17,000 lecturers are needed for evaluation work.

“A lecturer normally corrects 25 answer sheets a day. But they can do 40 scripts. May be they need a few days more to complete the task,” he said.  Seth hinted that in future, instead of calling a very large number of people, evaluation by less number of evaluators may become the norm by giving them duties that are “enough for one day.” But A H Ningegowda, general secretary, State PU Lecturers Association, said that it was highly unlikely that the 7,500 lecturers would report for evaluation work. “Most of the government lecturers are with us. All this talk about an alternative arrangement is just an eyewash,” he said.