Coding marks Day One of SSLC evaluation; 80% teachers turn up

The coding of SSLC examination answer sheets, which is the first step in the evaluation of papers, got over on Monday with nearly 80% evaluators reporting to work.

The coding usually takes just a day but since many deputy chief examiners didn’t turn up on Sunday, the work was extended into Monday.

The coding work was stopped at Carmel High School in Basaveshwaranagar on Sunday after a group of men tried to dissuade evaluators who had reported to work. But no such thing happened on Monday, said Narasimhamurthy, president, Karnataka State High School Assistant Masters’ Association, Bengaluru North district.

When Deccan Herald visited evaluation centres in Basaveshwaranagar, Rajajinagar, Malleswaram and Shivajinagar, deputy chief examiners said that at least 80% of the evaluators reported to work and the coding was complete.

At Malleswaram Ladies Association School and other centres across Bengaluru, teachers reported to work much before the scheduled time so as to complete the unfinished task. “Many of us came as early as 8 am as we didn’t want the work to suffer,” said a teacher at an evaluation centre in Basaveshwaranagar.

Yashoda Bopanna, director, Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board, said that out of 57,000 teachers who were called for evaluation, 45,500 turned up. “The evaluation has begun in a full-fledged manner. It will complete in 12-13 days,” she said.

Strike continues

Meanwhile, teachers belonging to the Karnataka State Aided School and College Employees’ Association and Karnataka Rajya Badti Sarkari Proudashala Shikshakara Sangha (Karnataka State High School Promotee Teachers’ Association) continued their strike demanding better salaries and other facilities.

The groups suggested that the government had warned that teachers would lose their jobs if they skipped evaluation.

“Many female teachers began evaluation but they were least interested in it,” said D C Gopinath, president, Karnataka State Aided School and College Employees’ Association.