Kolkata Schools Grapple with Invigilator Crisis During Madhyamik Examinations
As the Madhyamik examinations commence across Kolkata from Monday, numerous schools designated as exam venues are facing a significant challenge: a severe shortage of invigilators. This crisis stems from a large number of teachers being assigned duties as booth-level officers (BLOs) for election-related responsibilities, leaving schools scrambling to fill the gap.
Widespread Shortage Forces Schools to Seek External Support
District inspectors in every district have implemented alternative arrangements to address this crunch by deploying teachers as invigilators from neighboring schools. While this practice of borrowing teachers from nearby institutions is not uncommon, it has seen a dramatic increase this year due to the substantial number of educators assigned BLO duties from each school.
Despite repeated appeals from the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE), the Election Commission has not released any officers, teachers, or staffers from their election responsibilities. This has compelled the education department to make these alternative arrangements to ensure the examinations proceed without disruption.
Individual School Experiences Highlight the Severity of the Situation
Several schools across Kolkata have reported specific challenges due to the teacher shortage:
- Jodhpur Park Boys' School: For the first time, this institution required invigilators from neighboring schools after four teachers from the morning section who were supposed to serve as invigilators were assigned BLO duties. Headmaster Amit Sen Majumder explained, "Four teachers and one group-D staffer from neighboring schools have been assigned to us for the Madhyamik examination. We have two group-D staffers, but one shifted to another government job and the other lost his job as he was from the 2016 panel. We never asked for additional teachers for invigilation duties, but this time the problem has arisen due to SIR duties."
- Lee Memorial School in Central Kolkata: Most teachers at this institution were assigned SIR duties, leaving only a skeleton staff and the headmistress to conduct the Madhyamik exam. The school is heavily relying on support from neighboring schools to manage the examination process.
- Rani Rashmoni High School: Out of eleven teachers, five were assigned SIR duties. Among the remaining six, four were assigned invigilation duties for two neighboring schools. Headmaster Syed Mohsin Imam stated, "From Monday, two teachers and I will be at school to hold other academic activities."
- Taltala High School: Twelve of the eighteen teachers were assigned invigilation duty. Headmaster Rittick Kundu expressed concern about the upcoming Higher Secondary (HS) exam scheduled to begin on February 12, which coincides with the last day of the Madhyamik exam.
- Bhawanipur Girls' High School: Out of fifteen teachers, seven are still performing BLO duties. The school is managing the shortage with help from five neighboring schools. Teacher in charge Lipika Bera noted, "Every year, we need backup from neighboring schools as we already have a shortage of teachers. But this time, we need more to cover the additional shortage due to SIR duty."
Education Board Assures Smooth Examination Process
The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education has made it clear that despite the challenges posed by the unavailability of officers, teachers, and staffers due to election duties, there will be no disruption in the examination procedure. All necessary arrangements have been implemented to ensure the Madhyamik exams are conducted smoothly and efficiently across all centers.
This situation highlights the complex balancing act between educational responsibilities and election duties, with schools demonstrating resilience through collaborative support systems to maintain academic integrity during critical examination periods.
