Rationale behind grace mark: SAMTUP questioned Education Department

* 4,615 candidates passed with grace marks, 7,417 passed on their own

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Sadou Asom Madhyamik TET Uttirno Prarthi (Non Grace) has questioned the Education Department its rationale behind selecting 4,615 candidates with grace marks when 7,417 others qualified the test without grace marks to fill up only 5,746 vacant posts.

Addressing a press meet, on behalf of the TET qualified candidates, Rupam Kumar Das said the secondary TET results were announced on March 4. He pointed out that after revision final list was released on July 23.

The TET candidates argued that a chaotic situation has arisen after the announcement of the results as the Education Department has selected many candidates by giving 1 to 5 grace marks. The candidates said a similar chaotic situation has arisen in the appointment process of secondary teachers.

"In the secondary TET, while the passing mark for general category candidates in both the question papers was 60 per cent, reserved candidates had to score 55 per cent. A total of 12,032 candidates passed the exam out of which 7,417 candidates passed without grace marks. The remaining 4,615 candidates were selected by giving 1 to 5 grace marks," Das said.

Terming the grace marks as 'gift marks', the TET candidates said that recently an advertisement was published for 5,746 vacant posts. They argued when the number of regularly qualified candidates is more than the vacant posts, what's the rationale behind selecting 4,615 other candidates with grace marks? Das stressed that the vacant posts should be filled up with the 7,417 candidates who passed without grace marks.

The candidates alleged that the merit list published by the Directorate of Secondary Education includes names of candidates who passed with grace marks.

They also questioned as to why the Government has decided to add grace marks while the same was not done in the 2013 TET.

Das said the move to include (grace) candidates in the merit list will deprive the candidates who passed without grace marks.

They demanded Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's intervention into the matter. The candidates submitted a memorandum to the Directorate of Secondary Education.

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