Kerala govt wakes up to flaws in Plus 2 Chemistry answer key

T'PURAM: After dismissing the issues in Plus Two chemistry answer key pointed out by evaluating teachers as ridiculous, general education minister V Sivankutty on Saturday said the government would ensure sincere and judicious evaluation of the answer papers.
A section of higher secondary teachers boycotted the paper valuation duty across the state for the last two days, citing serious flaws in the manner the answer key was prepared. They said the key, if strictly followed, would lead to the denial of eligible marks to students. While multiple types of answer can be derived for certain questions, the answer key limits its scope to one single method.
"In view of a section of teachers abstaining from higher secondary paper valuation, the general education minister V Sivankutty convened a meeting of department officials. The meeting discussed the issues raised. The government would ensure that students would get the marks they are eligible for. If at all there are any shortcomings in the answer key, as claimed, the same would be scrutinized. Sincere and judicious evaluation of papers would be ensured," a statement from the office of the minister said on Saturday evening.
The teachers who cite discrepancies in the answer key pointed out that the answer key can be rectified within hours if the government is willing to address the shortcomings of the same. The changes recently made in the practice of question paper preparing, they said, were the root cause of the problems. Though experienced and interested teachers were earlier given preference for question paper setting, the same is now prepared centrally by the SCERT.
There were also allegations that some dubious elements were at play with an objective to malign the state higher secondary system. "Such anomalies in Plus Two examinations have become a routine affair. If it was chemistry this year, it was physics last year. We suspect this as a ploy to scare students away from public schools," said Anil M George, general secretary of higher secondary school teachers' association.