Gujarat teachers grading error leads to fines: In a troubling incident in Gujarat, a mathematics teachers significant totaling error of 30 marks has resulted in a student failing the class X board exam. This mishap has prompted the Gujarat State Education Board (GSEB) to levy a collective fine of ₹64 lakh against 4,488 teachers for similar mistakes made during the class 10 and 12 examinations, according to a report from The Times of India.Errors uncovered during re-assessmentThe GSEB uncovered the mistake when reviewing results following student requests for reassessment. A simple addition error made by the mathematics teacher was at the center of the controversy, leading to the students failure in the subject. The board has since imposed fines on 4,488 teachers this year due to similar totaling errors, which officials stated will amount to ₹64 lakh in total penalties.Officials were “surprised” to find that many of the approximately 100 teachers responsible for errors of 10 marks or more were mathematics instructors. Since admissions to diploma courses depend on the merit derived from class 10 and 12 exam results, thousands of students have sought reassessments to boost their scores, particularly in mathematics and science.What is the breakdown of imposed finesBharat Patel, president of the Gujarat Higher Secondary Teachers Association, reported that the 30-mark mistake was due to a teachers failure to carry a digit during the addition process. This oversight was identified after the student failed and requested a recheck of their exam.“In total, 1,654 teachers involved in grading class 10 papers have been fined ₹20 lakh collectively for their errors,” Bharat Patel stated. The fines are structured at ₹100 for each mistake of one mark. Additionally, 1,404 paper checkers for class 12 general stream were fined ₹24.31 lakh, while 1,430 for the science stream faced penalties totaling ₹19.66 lakh.Kiritsinh Mahida, president of the Gujarat Secondary Teachers Association, noted common mistakes include failing to carry forward numbers, neglecting marks assigned to specific answers, and not rounding off half marks in the final tally. Dinesh Patel, vice chairman of GSEB, explained that these fines aim to ensure teachers remain diligent in the grading process. This year, approximately 40,000 to 45,000 teachers were involved in evaluating class 10 answer sheets across Gujarat.
