Maharashtra HSC Board Exams 2019: 70,000 teachers decide to boycott if demands are not met

Over 70,000 junior college teachers in Maharashtra have decided not to cooperate in the higher secondary certificate (HSC) board exams that are scheduled to start from February 21. Members of the Maharashtra Federation of Junior College Teachers Organisation (MFUCTO) met the School Education Minister, Vinod Tawde. They raised their demands in front of the minister, which he promised to fulfil in the ten days.

The teachers are demanding provisions for information technology teachers, applying the seventh pay commission to their ranks and special provisions for teachers who have spent 24 years in the profession.

According to a report in Times of India, the General Secretary of the association, Anil Deshmukh said that the government did not meet the deadline of their demands. He added that they were, however, assured that their demands will be met due to which they allowed the practical and internal exams to be conducted smoothly. Deshmukh further added that if the demands are not executed by February 21, then they will not conduct any board exam duties including supervision.

This year stringent measures were announced to prevent cheating during exams. "The students found with cheating materials inside the exam centre will be suspended from appearing in the entire examinations. Mobile, tablets, including any kind of electronic gadget, is totally barred inside the exam centre," said an official from the Maharashtra board to a leading daily.

Maharashtra board secretary had also said that they have partitioned zones into sensitive, less sensitive and highly sensitive. He added that videography would also be done in some classrooms. However, the board will not install CCTV cameras in the examination halls and only schools that already have the equipment will use the same.

Around 14 lakh students are expected to appear in the Maharashtra HSC Exams 2019.

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