Centre mulls CAT-like evaluation system for teachers

Kolkata: The Department of School Education and Literacy, HRD ministry, is set to roll out a central evaluation system for teachers, though it will not be binding on the state governments, department Secretary Anil Swarup said today.

"There will be some sort of a central evaluation for those who wish to become teachers, an evaluation system like CAT or SAT. We want to create a platform like CAT," Swarup told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on school education system here.

"The CAT-like evaluation will be a benchmark for teachers, but a lot will depend on discussion with the state governments. We wish to have talks with all stakeholders. Then the recruiting agencies will decide," he said after addressing the seminar at Merchants' Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

Swarup said to ensure attendance of teachers in institutions, every school will be given tablets containing the biometric data of teaches and it would be GPS-connected.

"We are introducing the system first in Chattisgarh as a pilot from August and then hope to extend it all over the country gradually, but it is again upto the states to introduce the system," he said.

"After Chattisgarh, some other states like Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan also showed interest to implement it on their own," he said.

"Apart from ensuring regular attendance, which will be linked with the salary of teachers, the digitally stored data will save teachers the ordeal of travelling to faraway areas like district headquarters on work-related reasons." the IAS said.

He said to ensure proper infrastructure in B-ED colleges, the government has decided to cancel affiliation of 40 per cent B-ED colleges in the country "If they continue to function the way they are now."

"The department had asked for affidavits from all affiliated B-Ed colleges and about 35-40 per cent are yet to respond. We will act accordingly if they do not conform to the infrastructure standards," he said adding "the step will be taken by this year itself."