Inter board wakes up to its blunder

HYDERABAD: The Board of Intermediate Education has decided to make its evaluation process more stringent this year to minimise errors. The BIE officials on Wednesday announced that only senior lecturers would be appointed to evaluate the Inter answer papers this year so that the students would not suffer.

The BIE has been reeling under allegations of several errors creeping into the evaluation of intermediate answer scripts. It was found that over 75 per cent of the answer scripts were evaluated incorrectly by junior lecturers last year.

At a media briefing here, G Balaramaiah, secretary, BIE, said that since September 2010, eligible lecturers were given special training to ensure that answer papers this year would be evaluated properly. “Even on the first day of the examination, a model answer script and key will be given to each of the examiners so that they can evaluate the students without making mistakes. The chief examiner will value the answer scripts of students who get the lowest marks in each of the spot valuation centres to prevent errors,” secretary said. According to the secretary, 25 per cent of the answer scripts evaluated in each of the centres will be subjected to scrutiny of the chief examiners, a practice which was not followed earlier.

Interestingly, the BIE officials are also planning to put up an answer key on the BIE website so that students and teachers can send in their suggestions to the board before finalising the model answer scripts.

“There is a proposal to put up the answer key online. But this will have to be discussed further with stake holders including teachers and students,” said Balaramaiah. He added that five subject experts would prepare the answer key for each subject.

The board announced that its practical examinations would begin on February 3 at 2,573 centres in the state. A total of 5,92,904 students will appear for practical examinations in both general and vocational streams.

Stringent monitoring of practical examinations will also be undertaken by the board, secretary said.

“There will be a total of 11,872 examiners for conducting the exams. Also to check the smooth conduct of the examinations, proceedings in some centres will be videographed and presented before the board,” said the secretary. Jumbling in practical examinations may be introduced from 2011-12 academic year if all the colleges have enough lab facilities.

Theory examinations will be held from March 7 to 21 at 2,397 centres.

The secretary requested all political parties from Telangana, Andhra and Rayalaseema regions to allow the smooth conduct of IPE examinations as students from the state will not be allowed to appear for IIT-JEE, AIEEE and other all India examinations if intermediate examinations are not held on time.

Source : TOI