NAGPUR: After facing flak for its “failed experiment” with online mobile examinations that led to an unbelievable 99% pass results, the Nagpur University officials now plan to conduct professional examinations on computers on the lines of MHT-CET, JEE and NEET.
The NU exam section officials are drafting a proposal to hold online examination for courses like engineering, management, pharmacy, law and hotel management using computers at designated centres.
In view of Covid-19 pandemic and after students’ protests, education minister Uday Samant and vice-chancellor Subhash Chaudhari had already declared that NU’s winter exams for the regular batch (2020-21) would be held in online format only.
Board of examination and evaluation (BOEE) director Prafulla Sable told TOI that they would be needing permission from statutory bodies like Academic and Management Councils and BOEE for it.
Officials, however, clarified that papers for traditional courses like BA, BCom, BSc etc would be held online on mobile phones only, like summer 2020 exams. “It’s impossible to arrange papers on computers for all courses, as majority of colleges lack necessary infrastructure like number of computers and Internet facilities. The problem is severe in rural areas where even power supply is erratic, besides usual difficulties like poor connectivity. Many colleges there operate on a single computer. So, online computer exams are out of question for general courses,” they say.
The officials added that a majority of colleges imparting professional courses have computers and online facilities for their students as per AICTE norms. It would come handy for NU to hold their semester exam while maintaining Covid distancing. “Those completing professional courses have to compete with their counterparts at national and international level. Therefore, their papers must be held in a fair and transparent manner to maintain sanctity. In computer-based exams, the invigilators keep watch on the students and any suspicious movement can be captured by CCTV. This is not possible during the exams using mobile. There remains scope for manipulation in the absence of any monitoring,” they said.
Endorsing the BOEE director’s stand, the officials said NU holds exams of over four lakh students annually and it wouldn’t be possible to hold computer-based exams of all of them. The NU would then need to hold over 16 lakh papers approximately.
Hailing the decision, an engineering college principal said he would readily offer his college facilities, as computer-based online exams would, at least, have some sanctity. “In mobile exams last year, a majority of candidates cleared them with flying colours. Many of them even received 100% marks even in tough subjects that surprised us. In fact, a few students, who couldn’t clear their papers in the last many years, managed to pass the exams and now would be getting degrees, which they don’t deserve,” he said.
Source link
English
हिन्दी