Bengaluru, DHNS: Protest on; another round of talks today. With talks between the government and protesting PU teachers deadlocked, the II PU results are likely to be delayed.

Another round of meetings held on Thursday afternoon between the government and lecturers who have been boycotting evaluation, did not yield any breakthrough. The meeting went on till late into the evening on Wednesday and another immediate meeting was held on Thursday between 12 noon to 2 pm. The department has no time to lose and needs to resolve the issue soon or face the possibility of delayed results.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar told Deccan Herald, “We will have another round of talks on Friday and consult the Chief Minister and then come to a decision. We are taking all measures to make sure the re-examination of the chemistry paper goes on well for now,” he said.

Ajay Seth, principal secretary, Department of Primary and Secondary Education said they were not able to find “common ground” on the issues being discussed.

Since the strike that started five days ago, there has hardly been any evaluation work in nearly 46 examination centres throughout the state said, A H Ningegowda, general secretary, state PU Lecturers’ Association. “There are as many as 20,000 members in the association and the strike has been complete. No one has attended any evaluation work since it started on Sunday,” he said.

Earlier, PU director Ramegowda had said the strike would not affect evaluation. Asked for his response after the failure of Thursday’s talks, he said he did not want to comment.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka State Government Degree College Lecturers’ Association that comprises of around 7,000 lecturers and a number of unaided PU college associations, has also come out in support of the strike of the State PU Lecturers’ Association. H Parkash, president of government degree college lecturers’ association the latter said: “We have extended our full support to the PU lecturers. I heard some talk about the government trying to approach degree lecturers for evaluation as an alternative. Even if they do, we will not support them. We are with the PU lecturers,” said Prakash.
Plea on PU re-exam dismissed

The High Court on Thursday refused to interfere in the matter with regard to Second PU Chemistry question paper leak and dismissed the PIL. The petitioner had approached the court seeking directions not to conduct re-exam to the Second PUC Chemistry paper on April 12, and to evaluate the answer sheets of the exam that was held on March 21, 2016. A division bench comprising Chief Justice S K Mukherjee and Justice Ravi Malimath dismissed the PIL stating that it is the decision of the State government and the court would not interfere in the matter.