Education inspectors check how marks were given for environment science, physical training

After noticing that many city junior colleges had made mistakes in awarding marks in environment science (EVS) and PT (physical training-graded subject) in the 2013-14 higher secondary certificate (HSC) board examinations, Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary (MSBSHSE) officials paid surprise visits to city colleges to check how they had awarded marks, and where mistakes had crept in.

Many junior colleges were surprise when education inspectors visited them last month. They had not come to inspect infrastructure or how the college was being run, but to check how marks had been awarded in EVS and PT.

Marks in EVS are counted in the total, and PT marks are converted into grades.

A teacher in a reputed South Mumbai college said: "We were surprised to see education inspector and board officials visit our college. Though we hadn't committed any mistake in awarding marks, they sought details on how marks were awarded in the two subjects."

BB Chauhan, south zone education inspector, said: "The board gave names of some colleges to the deputy director, who instructed education inspectors to check how marks were awarded in graded subjects."
Laxmikant Pandey, chairman, Mumbai Divisional Board, said: "Yes, we asked education inspectors to check how marks were awarded in graded subjects in the last board exam as many colleges had made mistakes."

EVS is a 50-mark subject and its marks are added to the total.
PT is a graded subject of 50 marks, and the mark is converted to grade.