KOZHIKODE: Evaluation of Plus-Two chemistry papers in the state has been left in a shambles due to a row over the “erroneous” question paper and “rigid” answer index, with about 90% of teachers boycotting assessment camps on Saturday.
As the issue snowballed, General Education Minister V Sivankutty convened a meeting of top officials, and promised to examine alleged flaws in the answer index.“Parents and students need not worry,” the minister said. He also assured “an honest and fair evaluation”.
Sivankutty’s assurance was viewed as a climbdown from his stern stance on the issue. He had said earlier the protest was fomented by “a section of teachers”, and warned of strict action against those boycotting valuation.
Aided Higher Secondary Teachers’ Association state general secretary S Manoj said: “There are around 4,000 chemistry teachers in the state. Over 1,200 of them boycotted evaluation on the first day, April 28. On Friday, the teachers in nine districts didn’t attend the evaluation camps. On Saturday, evaluation in almost all the districts was affected. Nearly 90% of chemistry teachers boycotted the camps on Saturday in protest against the rigid valuation system.”
Students got unfair deal, say teachers
General Education Department Regional Deputy Director Shylaja Devi T M said Kozhikode recorded zero attendance at valuation camps, while just four teachers turned up in Wayanad. A chemistry teacher, who boycotted an evaluation camp in Kozhikode for the past two days, said the question paper was tough and ridden with errors.
“For instance, the 13th question was on the artificial sweetener used in cold foods and soft drinks. The correct answer among the four choices given -- aspartame -- had been printed as ‘aspartase’. Some confused students skipped the question. Many wrote the answer as given in the question paper, with the spelling error. Now, as per the answer index, these students won’t get any marks. That’s unfair,” she said.
The teacher added that the valuation index was harsh, considering the challenges the children had faced due to the pandemic.
“Currently, we are not allowed to give marks to children who attempted to write answers based on their own understanding, deviating from technical perfection,” she noted.The teacher said there were many questions from organic chemistry, a non-focus area, which flummoxed the students. Some teachers had suggested changes in the answer key while the valuation scheme was being finalised. But the authorities rejected the suggestions and served a show-cause notices to 12 teachers.