Seated on benches in low-lit rooms, it’s a hard day’s work for teachers at UP Board evaluation centres
Till last year, their remuneration was ₹11 and ₹13 per copy for High School and Intermediate exams, respectively. This year, the amount has gone up to ₹14 and ₹15, respectively
LUCKNOW Teachers sat on plank-like wooden benches, that too in poorly-lit classroms, at many centres across the state as the evaluation process for UP Board examination began on Wednesday. Teachers who eventually get a backache after sitting for 6 to 8 hours a day for over a fortnight will be given a hike of ₹3 and ₹2, respectively, after five years, for checking Class 10 and 12 answer copies, lamented a few examiners.
A total of 1,34,723 examiners are deployed to assess 2.9 crore answer sheets across 261 evaluation centres across UP. The evaluation process is likely to be completed by April 2, and the results are expected be announced in April-end.
Till last year, their remuneration was ₹11 and ₹13 per copy for High School and Intermediate exams, respectively. This year, the amount has gone up to ₹14 and ₹15, respectively, for answer sheets. The remuneration for rechecking has been hiked from ₹0.33 to ₹0.40 per copy.
Apart from the seating arrangements, the condition of washrooms and drinking water facilities at some centres have left teachers in a pitiful state. “When teachers are working hard for students throughout the day, the least they can ask for is proper facilities,” said UP Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh spokesperson RP Mishra.
“In 1975, director Shyam Narayan Mehrotra started central evaluation and the conditions for evaluation were set to include a well-lit environment, cane chair, table, a fan, clean washroom and watercooler. Our Board is not able to fulfill the basic requirements even after 50 years since the beginning of the central evaluation. In the 1980s, Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad secretary Prabha Tripathi also tried calculating the cost of getting chairs and tables for evaluation process, which turned out to be ₹75 lakh, but it could not be allocated due to her sudden demise,” said Mishra.
Teacher leader Mahendra Nath Rai said the remuneration of UP Board teachers is almost 50% less than that of CBSE board counterparts.
“When UP Board exams are being held on CBSE pattern, with the syllabus being completely reformed, even the remuneration should be matched. In CBSE board, teachers get ₹30 and ₹25 per copy for Class 12 and 10, respectively. Along with the remuneration, they receive a travel allowance of ₹250 and ₹75 for snacks. Even teachers involved in rechecking receive ₹7.5 per copy for Class 12 and ₹6.25 for Class 10, along with travel allowance and an amount for snacks. When it comes to snacks, UP board is providing only ₹20, which is not even enough for a water bottle that would last throughout the day,” said Rai.
A teacher engaged in the evaluation process at Government Jubilee Inter College in Lucknow said they only had access to student benches, which turns out to be tiring after the day’s work.
“I could not even find a water cooler on the premises,” she said.
Another teacher at Government Girls’ Inter College at Shah Meena Road in Lucknow said the rooms are not well-lit, giving strain to the eyes. “There is insufficient light in the room leading to strain on the eyes. The washroom is quite far away and dirty while drinking water facility is not available,” she said.
