The evaluation process of the answer sheets of arts and science colleges affiliated to the University of Madras faced a break on Tuesday, with many teachers boycotting the correction of papers.
Teachers said they had boycotted the process as they were being forced to correct an additional ten papers every day, from this year.
College teachers are generally asked to check 40 papers every day — 20 before lunch and 20 after it. An additional five papers in every session, as per the rule introduced by the State government, teachers said, would only lead to a dilution in the quality of correction as they need at least 10 minutes to check one paper.
“They had not changed our remuneration in many years. This year, they increased it to Rs. 12 from Rs. 9 which is not even that significant, considering we spend so many hours checking papers,” said an assistant professor of economics.
Teachers said, when the correction of papers started on Monday, they were shocked when they were given the first set of 25 papers instead of 20.
“We tried to protest but we were not sure who had imposed such a rule and if it was just for the day,” a teacher said.
However, on Tuesday, when faced with the same number of papers, teachers at Ethiraj College Camp came out boycotting the evaluation. The teachers, numbering 500, have said they will not resume the corrections, if the earlier scheme was not restored.
Madras University officials said there were technical difficulties in restoring the old pattern as the correction sheets had already been printed according to the new pattern.
Members of the Joint Action Council of College Teachers that teachers from all unions had recently made a representation to the University of Madras V-C, R. Thandavan to take up the issue. “We even agreed to reach the target of 200 papers in five days, instead of four, so that there is no burden on anybody and papers get valuated fast too, but the decision has not been implemented,” the professor added.
University officials however said the evaluation was disturbed only in certain correction camps and the process was likely to proceed without any disruptions for the remaining days.
