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Punjab may change pass criteria in board exams

Jalandhar: Punjab government is considering making it mandatory for students to pass in Mathematics, General Science and English in order to succeed in board examinations, Education Minister Upinderjeet Kaur said on Monday.

In order to enable the students of government schools of the State compete with the outside world, the government is considering changing the pass criteria in the board exams, she said.

Earlier a student who didn’t even pass in important subjects like Maths, General Science and English could pass the board examination. But considering the importance of these subjects in today’s competitive world, the State government is considering to make it compulsory for the students to secure pass marks in these subjects, Ms. Kaur said.

Admitting there was an acute shortage of teachers in governments schools, the State government has decided to recruit 14,000 teachers to upgrade the standard of education, Kaur told reporters here.

“The process for recruiting as many as 14,000 permanent teachers has already been initiated and the scrutiny of the 2.5 lakh applications received is being done by a committee constituted by the department,” Ms. Kaur said.

She said the recruitment process for these permanent posts would be completed by March 31 next.

The Minister also said the government has planned to regularise all the teachers recruited on the contract basis in the coming three years.

“Though the Akali Dal-BJP alliance had promised permanent recruitment of teachers before the State assembly elections but due to the bad condition of the State exchequer the government had to recruit the teachers on contract basis,” she said.

The Minister also said that in order to enhance attendance of teachers in government schools instructions have been issued to the circle education officers of the State to conduct surprise checks and take necessary action.

She said that due promotions of head masters, lecturers, head teachers and chief head teachers were being given by the government and the whole process would be completed within a year. PTI

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Punjab may change pass criteria in board exams

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