Teachers resume evaluation of Matric papers

Expressbuzz.com, 13th May, 2009

CUTTACK: Teachers across the State resumed evaluation of answer papers of the Matriculation examinations today after the Board of Secondary Education, Orissa, (BSE ) assured the agitating teachers of effecting a hike in their remuneration and other allowances.
Barring a couple of centres like Junagarh in Balangir and Bhawanipatna, evaluation of answer papers resumed. In Balangir district the teachers today staged demonstrations and shunned checking of papers to rally behind their counterparts in other centres. The teachers in Sambalpur and Puri, who had stuck to the boycott yesterday, joined duty today.
T he Executive Committee of the Board would meet on May 20 to discuss the issue and finalise the extent of hike in the evaluation rates and daily halting allowances, Secretary NR Mohapatra said.
However, even as the BSESE moves forward to give a raise to the teachers, the financial implications of such a move could impose a heavy strain on the regulatory authority. The authority is in a financial crunch with rising costs of managing infrastructure, personnel and machinery for smooth conduct of examinations and publication of results.
A ccording to sources, the earnings have not gone up in proportion to the expenditure. The examination fees charged from students are still at Rs 163 in Orissa while neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal have imposed over Rs 600.
The Board had requested the Government to allow 50 per cent increase in fee but permission is yet to be granted.
With the finances squeezed, the quality of the mammoth exercise from conducting examination for over four lakh students to evaluating papers and ensuring modernised methods for result publication has suffered, sources added.
The teachers have demanded hike in remuneration from Rs 3 to minimum Rs 5 per paper. They have also sought hike in halting allowances, which are stipulated at Rs 30 and Rs 60 for local and outstation personnel respectively.