Evaluation of answer sheets for matriculation exams to start from March 20

CUTTACK: Evaluation of answer scripts for the matriculation examination will start from March 20. The Board of Secondary Education (BSE), which conducts the examination, has made elaborate arrangements to ensure an error-free and hassle-free evaluation.
The sheets will be evaluated at 57 centres and 13,280 teachers will be involved in the process. Board officials said schools equipped with computers and internet connection have been chosen as evaluation centres.

In a first, the board has developed a software that can detect errors during uploading of marks on the server. Two data entry operators will directly upload the marks to the servers at each exam centre on two computers. "The software will alert the controller of examination if there is any mismatch and the errors will be rectified," said president of the board Jahan Ara Begum. The board aims to complete the work within 12 days.

A three-tier system - comprising assistant examiners, deputy examiners and chief examiners - has been put in place to check erratic evaluation of answer sheets. The scripts evaluated by the assistant examiners will first be verified by deputy examiners and then by chief examiners. "Action will be taken against the examiners found guilty of dereliction of duty or faulty evaluation," said officials.

Teachers with over two decades of experience have been selected for the work. Besides, the district education officers will train the evaluators on March 19 to make them well-versed with the process.

While the subjective answer sheets will be checked by teachers, the objective OMR sheets will be evaluated by computers. The list containing names of teachers selected for evaluation work has been uploaded on the board's website.

School principals have been asked to download the list and send the selected teachers to their respective evaluation centres on March 19. The exam, which started on February 23, will conclude on March 8.

Meanwhile, the science paper of the HSC exam went viral after the start of the test on Tuesday. Prior to this, the Odia, English and maths papers had gone viral on social media. School education minister Badri Narayan Patra held mischief-mongers to blame.