Sir,

This has reference to the news item, “MLC opposes Divisional-level evaluation of  II PU answer scripts” (SOM dated June 1, 2020).  I see there is some rational in the stand taken by the MLC in trying to put some logic into the mind of PU Board officials.  

The MLC claims that he had written a letter to the Primary and Secondary Education Minister over a month ago regarding the same issue and yet the Government stood its ground and went ahead with the already chosen path disregarding the health and safety of the teachers.

Under the present circumstances of COVID’s adamant strides towards the pinnacle of death and destruction, it would have been the legitimate responsibility of the Government to seriously consider the dangers it would be pushing the teachers into, by holding the valuation at the Divisional-level. 

I totally agree with the idea of the MLC because it  would mitigate the difficulty of reaching the centre of valuation (in the absence of proper transportation facilities), in time and further  the problem of accommodation for hundreds of them, as many lodges and hotels have closed down due to  COVID lockdown. Is it not the job of the ‘People in Power’ to pay attention to these realities ?

Under usual circumstance, that is when there was no COVID, somehow  teachers, especially ladies, would have managed  to stay away from families, putting up with a lot of problems of lodging and boarding.  While we are on the subject of evaluation of  II PU answer scripts, permit to share with  the readers of ‘SOM’,  the ordeals we, in the seventies and eighties faced.  

What with one rupee per paper as valuation fee and a princely ten rupees  or so, as daily allowance, in Bangalore (which was woefully insufficient even in those days ), paid sometimes months after the valuation work was over.  Many of us would be bankrupt even before half of the work was over and had to borrow from friends and relatives. 

Now I know, the payment structure for teachers has vastly improved, a great relief indeed, but money is not the solution for everything.

I wonder whether the Government will ever treat teachers decently. It looks as though the teaching community is taken for granted, as the teachers are often drafted to Census of all kinds or election duties etc.  When will the authorities realise that teachers too need to be treated with the ‘Respect’  and  ‘Concern’ that they deserve, whether it is evaluation of answer scripts  or  any other responsibility assigned to them. 

– Prof. K.V. Satyan, Camp: Dallas, Texas, 2.6.2020

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