In response to allegations of widespread errors in the evaluation of answer sheets during previous year’s Class X and XII board examinations, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has hardened its stance on marking errors, warning evaluators that they could be expelled for carelessness, reports Times of India.

CBSE secretary, Anurag Tripathi stated, “Our aim is to make the evaluation process error-free. We have engaged the best and most experienced teachers for evaluation and issued fresh guidelines apart from conducting several rounds of training to eliminate common mistakes done by teachers. Besides, there will be CCTV surveillance in evaluation centres.”

In last year’s re-evaluation process, marks of students had increased in over 70 per cent of the mark sheets submitted. Tripathi reasoned that since many students do not apply for re-evaluation, they essentially become victim to the evaluators’ neglect.

He explained that a variation of 7 per cent in scores given by different evaluators was acceptable, but the variation is much higher in reality.

“Though we have provided marking scheme — a guideline for evaluating the answer sheets — but teachers have also been given liberty to give marks for creative and innovative answers,” he added.

CBSE trains teachers on spot evaluation, real-time evaluation as well as how exams are to be conducted. The board gets its evaluators from teachers of affiliated schools and has warned them that they could be penalised and even lose their affiliations if they don’t send teachers to participate in the evaluation process.

Tiwari revealed that already Rs 50,000 fines had been imposed on those schools which had not sent teachers to evaluate board mark sheets.