Ludhiana: Over 3,500 take literacy exam, teachers decry ‘poor timing’
According to Rajwinder Kaur, nodal in-charge and principal of district institute of education and training (DIET) said schools that failed to update online records were only asked to do so a few days before the exam
Ludhiana 3,723 candidates between the ages of 15 and 80 appeared for the examination under the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), also known as ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram, on Sunday. The exam was conducted in government high and senior secondary schools.
NILP is a five-year programme (2022-2027) which aims to make individuals aged 15 and above literate. It focuses on foundational literacy, numeracy, financial and digital literacy, legal awareness, and healthcare. The programme provides for vocational training and adult education in arts, sciences, and culture.
However, the exam drew complaints from the teachers about its timing and additional workload. Gurpreet Singh, a member of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, expressed frustration over the last-minute pressure to enrol candidates. “We received instructions only a few days before the exam. How can we expect candidates to sit for an exam without preparation or proper study material?” he added
Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, state finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union,said, “March is already a hectic period with teachers checking answer sheets, preparing results, and conducting board exams. Along with that, we are expected to conduct this literacy exam and submit results within a week.”
According to Rajwinder Kaur, nodal in-charge and principal of district institute of education and training (DIET), Jagraon, while 3,723 candidates had pre-registered, several additional examinees enrolled through offline registrations on the day of the exam. “The schools are required to register examinees online, but we had some last-minute candidates who had to be registered manually,” she said.
Responding to the criticism by teachers, Kaur said that the literacy exams are held twice a year, in September and March, and all relevant details are shared via WhatsApp groups. She expressed displeasure over teachers for ignoring prior notifications, emphasising that the enrolments were to be completed months in advance. “Schools that failed to update online records were only asked to do so a few days before the exam,” she added.
