Paper checkers to be fined Rs 100 per mistake
Union protests saying checkers are paid Rs 3 per paper and take home mere Rs 75 daily
By Yogesh Avasthi and Jyoti Jha
Posted On Tuesday, March 31, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009033120090331024713440c7488109)
Acting on complaints from students, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board (GSHSEB) has decided to impose a stiff penalty on paper checkers whose errors cost students valuable marks. For each error that costs a student a mark, the paper checker will have to penalty of Rs 100. This also applies to extra marks inadvertently given to students.
The decision is being seen as harsh, for a paper checker is paid Rs 3 for each paper he checks but will have to pay Rs 100 for every little mistake. Worse is, with checkers being allowed to check only 25 papers over three sessions between 11 am and 5 pm, a hard day’s work brings home a paltry Rs 75 for them.
Two teachers have already been penalised for mistakes. Of the two, physics teacher Ghanshyam Singh said, “I was fined Rs 150 for a mistake involving 1 1/2 marks.” The Board, however, said the move was necessary and moderate in view of the circumstances. It said thousands of complaints of errors in marking had been received from students in the last few years. And some marking errors had cost students admissions in reputed courses in premium institutes.
The Board also contended that sans the penalty, many paper checkers were becoming too casual and careless about their task, which caused mistakes in the correction.Expectedly, paper checkers and teachers differ from the Board’s view.
Ahmedabad Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association president Pravinsinh Parmar said, “Our teachers are diligent about their work. No teacher will deliberately mark wrongly. People who work hard risk committing mistakes. A penalty of Rs 10 would be acceptable, but not as much as Rs 100. The Board is trying to take away more than it is giving to the paper checkers.”According to Board chairman Hasmukh Adhia, “The move is not intended to harass teachers or generate revenue for us. The idea is to induce teachers to check papers attentively.”
By Yogesh Avasthi and Jyoti Jha
Posted On Tuesday, March 31, 2009 (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009033120090331024713440c7488109)
Acting on complaints from students, the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Board (GSHSEB) has decided to impose a stiff penalty on paper checkers whose errors cost students valuable marks. For each error that costs a student a mark, the paper checker will have to penalty of Rs 100. This also applies to extra marks inadvertently given to students.
The decision is being seen as harsh, for a paper checker is paid Rs 3 for each paper he checks but will have to pay Rs 100 for every little mistake. Worse is, with checkers being allowed to check only 25 papers over three sessions between 11 am and 5 pm, a hard day’s work brings home a paltry Rs 75 for them.
Two teachers have already been penalised for mistakes. Of the two, physics teacher Ghanshyam Singh said, “I was fined Rs 150 for a mistake involving 1 1/2 marks.” The Board, however, said the move was necessary and moderate in view of the circumstances. It said thousands of complaints of errors in marking had been received from students in the last few years. And some marking errors had cost students admissions in reputed courses in premium institutes.
The Board also contended that sans the penalty, many paper checkers were becoming too casual and careless about their task, which caused mistakes in the correction.Expectedly, paper checkers and teachers differ from the Board’s view.
Ahmedabad Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association president Pravinsinh Parmar said, “Our teachers are diligent about their work. No teacher will deliberately mark wrongly. People who work hard risk committing mistakes. A penalty of Rs 10 would be acceptable, but not as much as Rs 100. The Board is trying to take away more than it is giving to the paper checkers.”According to Board chairman Hasmukh Adhia, “The move is not intended to harass teachers or generate revenue for us. The idea is to induce teachers to check papers attentively.”
