K'taka teachers boycott valuation duty

Bangalore, Apr 2 (UNI) Thousands of teachers on valuation duty for the just-conducted SSLC exams in Karnataka today resorted to a snap strike and boycotted valuation, demanding extension of a monetary benefit of Rs 200, announced for primary school teachers, to them also.

The striking teachers demanded that the State Government extend the exgratia amount, announced by Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa recently, to them as the Government notification stated that no high school teacher would be eligible for it.

Protesting outside the valuation halls across the State, the teachers stressed that they would not return to work until a concrete assurance came forth.

Primary and Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti, who met the agitating teachers in Hubli, assured that he would talk to Mr Yediyurappa and convince the latter to extend the exgratia to high school teachers also.

Following an assurance from the Minister to look into their demands seriously, the agitating teachers withdrew their strike and resumed examination duty in Hubli.

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