Finally, assessment of 3.5 L answer books begins in division

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Finally, the assessment of 3.5 lakh answer books of ongoing HSC examinations began in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division of Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) on Monday after the members of Junior College Teachers Association (JUCTA) called off the boycott.

The MSBSHSE is conducting the HSC examinations in nine divisions of the State including Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, between February 21 and March 19. Members of JUCTA boycotted answer books assessment for their different demands including restoring the old pension scheme.

More than 50 lakh answer books of Marathi, Hind, Urdu, English and Sanskrit subjects have been lying with custodians since February 21 because of the teachers' boycott. The teachers withdrew the agitation after the School Education Minister held discussions with them on Sunday. This paved the way for the assessment of answer books.

There were 50 lakh answer books lying in the State, including 3.5 lakh in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar division of MSBSHSE, without assessment. Even the meetings of subject-wise custodians were not held in the divisional office.

The custodians had come from Beed, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Jalna, Beed and Parbhani district.

There was a question over the declaration of the result on time.

District president of the JUCTA Ravindra Patil said that the agitation was staged for their long pending demands.

“The agitation was withdrawn after the School Education Minister assured to fulfil the demands

It is unfortunate that teachers had to resort to boycotting for justice. The Education Department will have to fulfil the demands immediately so that teachers need not agitate again,” he added.

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The assessment of answer books is done subject-wise. An examiner will have to assess 200 to 400 answer books while one moderator has to do moderation of 1200 to 1600 answer books. As per the norms, a minimum of 25 answer books should be evaluated by an examiner. The assessment work of English subject answer books takes one and half months duration as it is a compulsory subject while evaluation of answer books of each of the other subjects is done in three weeks' time.