In solidarity: SSLC evaluators to boycott evaluation now

Bangalore Mirror

Bangalore, 17 April 2016: As if the PU lecturers’ strike was not enough, the SSLC evaluators have now jumped into the ’boycott’ fray in support of their counterparts. With this development, the SSLC evaluation process, beginning Monday, too is in jeopardy.

 

Speaking to Mirror, a representative of Karnataka Madhyamik Shikshakara Sangh, said, "Earlier, one of the teachers’ association representatives had said that there was no boycott of Class X papers. However, he made the statement without taking us into confidence. We are all united with the PU department and will not return to work unless the G Kumar Nayak report was implemented in toto. Hence, we have decided to boycott the SSLC evaluation process." 

 

Meanwhile, the PU lecturers’ strike continued on Saturday, totally crippling the evaluation process. The PU department decided to checkmate the protesting lecturers by announcing that around 7,000 lecturers (mostly from unaided private colleges) would join the evaluation process and they had also begun training those lecturers on coding and de-coding (an essential procedure before evaluation).

 

PU director Rame Gowda said, "We are confident of finishing the evaluation process quickly. We have also formed 46 teams with 10 lecturers each."

 

The PU department expects each team to correct 45 answerscripts every day as against the norm of 25 answerscripts.

 

"We hope that even the protesting lecturers will also join us soon and we want to assure the students that they need not fear about any sort of delay," added Gowda.

 

However, this claim was rejected by PU lecturers’ association leader Thimmaiah Purle.

 

"Where are the 7,000 lecturers? You can find all those 7,000 lecturers and principals joining hands with us. We are united and all of us have told that none of them will re-join the evaluation process. Even if the PU department is adamant and goes I can guarantee you that they may not be able to announce the II PU results even in a year. This year has been terrible for the students, following the question paper leak. Hence, I request the government to resolve our issues failing which they have to face the wrath of students."

 

In a dramatic turn, a PU chief examiner in Mangaluru announced that he was quitting his post as he was under extreme pressure from the PU department to re-start the evaluation process with limited staff. Speaking to Mirror, T Narayanappa, a former principal and an academician, said, "It is suggested that the state government doesn’t act in haste. This is the time to call for discussions."