Maharashtra: Teachers struggle to reach junior colleges to work on HSC results

Two days after Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad announced that Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) results will also follow the 30:30:40 formula, giving 30% weightage each to Class 10 and 11 marks and 40% weightage to Class 12 internals marks and students’ performance in the year, teachers are struggling to find a convenient way to reach schools and colleges, especially with travel restrictions in place

Two days after Maharashtra school education minister Varsha Gaikwad announced that Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) results will also follow the 30:30:40 formula, giving 30% weightage each to Class 10 and 11 marks and 40% weightage to Class 12 internals marks and students’ performance in the year, teachers are struggling to find a convenient way to reach schools and colleges, especially with travel restrictions in place.

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Gaikwad has requested schools and junior colleges to release Class 10 and 12 results by the end of this month, but education institutes and teachers are finding it difficult. “How do we reach our college without using trains? No one will pay for cab to and from college and it will take us a long time to travel by local buses. The government needs to look at the entire picture before announcing deadlines,” said a teacher from a junior college in Charni Road.

A resident of Bhandup, the teacher, like many fellow teachers, is finding it difficult to make it to college in order to start work on HSC results.

On Saturday, in a letter addressed to state school education minister and secretary, deputy director of education Sandeep Sangve requested for allowing Class 10 and 12 teachers to travel by train at least till the results are announced.

“Since the final result will include marks of Class 10 and 11 as well overall performance of students in Class 12, it will not be possible to do this while sitting at home. Teachers will have to start visiting respective schools/junior colleges and work with the admin staff to get Class 10 and 11 marks and put this together,” said a teacher, adding that without permission to travel by trains it would be very difficult for many teachers to reach their respective institutes.

At present, colleges are trying to work out a timetable to bring teachers on campus on a rotational basis so that everyone does not have to stress about travel. “Some of our non-teaching staff reside in Titwala, Navi Mumbai and Nallasopara; so, it is impossible for them to travel to college unless they are allowed to travel by train. But we have no choice but to announce results in time, so teachers are willing to adjust and work out a plan to ensure the work on results is not affected,” said Ashok Wadia, principal of Jai Hind College, Churchgate.

Another principal said that teachers are now resorting to traveling ticketless in trains to reach their colleges in time. “We, teachers, are being pushed to break the law because we are not being sold train tickets without a pass approved by the government. Some of my teachers are traveling without tickets to beat the system,” said the principal of a south Mumbai college, on condition of anonymity.