Higher fine, Gujarat education minister's rebuke in store for 2,300 teachers who erred in giving marks

TAKEN ABACK by errors ranging from simple addition, omitting decimal to even awarding marks higher than the total marks, the Gujarat Education Department plans to take strict action against over 2,300 school teachers who were appointed as evaluators for Class X board examinations. Last year, the number of teachers who committed errors in the evaluation process was around 1,200.

In addition to higher fine amount for each marking mistake, these teachers are set to be personally reprimanded by Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama who will take “appropriate” action against them after giving them a hearing.

“Certainly action will be taken against them, but before that they will be given a chance to explain the errors they have committed. Definitely no erring teacher will be spared with only a penalty,” Chudasama said.

Sources said that the actual numbers of teachers who have erred is much higher than 2,300 as the board has shortlisted only those who have erred by 10 or more marks, while ignoring those who made mistakes lower than 10.

In 2017, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSHSEB) was able to collect over Rs 28 lakh as penalty imposed on nearly 7,000 teachers, their moderators and co-ordinators for mistakes in the paper evaluation.

The type of errors these evaluators, who are teachers in government, grant-in-aid as well as private schools, have committed include simple addition mistakes, ignoring decimals — for instance instead of 2.5 making it 25, duplication of marks and incorrect entry of marks among others.

Making it worst, there are cases where many teachers have awarded more than 50 marks to question paper carrying a total of 50 marks. “Merely a penalty of Rs 50 or 100 is not enough for teachers who are evaluators. If they are committing such simple mistakes intentionally or unintentionally what will they teach students. It is a question for their reputation. So we are planning to increase this fine and also take some strict action against them so they are more careful towards their work,” said GSHSEB chairman A J Shah.
News Source (Indin Express)