College teachers refuse to submit HSC papers

Mumbai: Junior college teachers in the state have refused to submit assessed answer papers of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams to the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), as the government is yet to clear their pending demands.

The teachers had presented a list of 24 demands to the state education minister, who promised to fulfill them by March 27. Nearly 85 lakh answer papers of HSC students have been assessed, however any further delay in clearing these papers will lead to prolonging declaring of results that are expected in June.

Anil Deshmukh, president, Maharashtra Federation of Junior College Teachers’ Association, which is leading the teachers’ agitation across the state, said, “We have successfully assessed 85 lakh answer papers and only 15 lakh are pending to be assessed.

According to the general pattern, we submit the papers once they are assessed. However, this time around, we are not going to submit them to the MSBSHSE as they have not responded to our demands. If this goes on any longer, the results of the students will be affected, in turn leading to a huge disaster.”

The teachers’ demands include filling up of new teaching posts in colleges; applying old pension schemes to teachers appointed after November 1, 2005; cashless medical claim for teachers; hike in increments of vice-principals, supervisors and teachers on contract basis; etc.