Tirupati: Uncertainty prevails over Inter spot valuation as Covid continues to rage

Tirupati: The increasing number of coronavirus cases in the State has put the evaluation of answer scripts of Intermediate examinations in a state of uncertainty.

AP State Council for Higher Education (APSCHE) has already announced the dates of various common entrance tests along with national entrance tests like NEET and JEE which forced the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE) to complete the evaluation process quickly to announce the results early.

Minister for Education Audimulapu Suresh has reviewed the situation a couple of days back and directed the officials of BIE to expedite the process of evaluation.

It was decided that the process has to be taken up and completed in Orange and Green Zones first keeping the work in abeyance in Red Zones.

However, junior lecturers seem to be not willing to go for spot valuation centres at this juncture with the fear of spread of Covid.

They have been suggesting alternate ways to complete spot valuation like sending the answer scripts to their homes which is being done in most of the universities.

Decentralisation of spot valuation by increasing more centres instead of one centre in each district is another idea.

About 60 lakh answer sheets have to be evaluated of 10.64 lakh students of both Junior and Senior Intermediate for which nearly 25,000 evaluators are required.

In Tirupati itself, about 2,000 evaluators and most of them private colleges' staff have to work to complete the process.

"Even though government provides transport and accommodation for outstation faculty, it certainly involves risk," said a lecturer.

Moreover, the staff have been raising questions on the efficacy of conducting valuation in Orange and Green Zones leaving Red Zones as the results could not be declared unless it is completed in Red Zones as well.

However, Government Junior Lecturers Association (GJLA) General Secretary V Ravi has told The Hans India that no lecturer will be put under pressure to participate in valuation unlike previous years.

Valuation in Red Zones will be taken up after the lockdown is lifted. If it is extended, the government will take a decision on the next course of action.

If needed, answer scripts can be sent to other zones and the process can be completed. In any case, the government assured to take all precautions and strictly follow Covid protocol at valuation centres and no one needs to have any doubts, he stated.