Subject teachers may lose hike over poor SSLC results in Karnataka

The school education and literacy department has decided to stop one annual increment for high school teachers whose subjects failed to see good SSLC results.

As per the information available from the officials at the district level, they have received a communication to take necessary action to cancel annual increment of teachers in whose subjects students have scored less than the district average.

In one of the circular issued from the chief executive officer of Yadgir Zilla Panchayat, for example, teachers’ increments will be affected if the average pass percentage in their subjects is below 54.43 per cent, which is the overall pass percentage of the district.

This will be applicable for teachers working with both government and aided high schools across the state.

“Despite extending all necessary facilities for teachers, several of them have failed to improve the performance of students,” reads the circular.

Before taking a decision stopping the annual increments, the department has issued notices to teachers, seeking explanation.

Officials from the department told DH that officials in Yadgir district issued this circular, following the recent review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Vijayanagara district, where he ordered suspension of deputy director of public instruction and block education officer of that district, following poor SSLC results.

Karnataka High school Assistant Masters Association has raised objections over the action against the teachers.

H K Manjunath, honorary president of the association, said, “The government taking action against teachers for poor performance by students is not acceptable. This will affect the teachers morale. Instead of considering only SSLC results, let the department take measures to assess and improve students’ performance from the primary level.”