New Delhi: The evaluation of undergraduate students in general courses across colleges and universities is soon set to change from a fixed pen and paper exam-based method to a continuous evaluation system.
As a result, students will have make paper presentations, take part in group discussions and write unit tests at the end of each chapter apart from the year-end exam.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has prepared the new evaluation scheme, which it will soon circulate to all institutions. Under this scheme, universities will also have the freedom to do away with the year-end examination if they want.
According to the proposed evaluation method, 70 per cent weightage will be given to formative assessment that will include activities such as quizzes, projects, group discussions, paper presentations, essays, posters and other similar work.
Summative assessment, which was so far 100 per cent of the evaluation, will now be limited to 30 per cent. It will include unit tests, semester-end and year-end examinations.
Most colleges as of now have only year-end and semester exams; they do not continuously assess students. With the new evaluation method, UGC wants to ensure the institutions move towards a continuous assessment method.
“The idea of moving towards a continuous evaluation method is a move away from rote learning and to make learning interesting for students,” UGC Vice-Chairman Bhushan Patwardhan told ThePrint. “The new evaluation scheme has been formulated by a committee of experts appointed by the commission and will soon be made official by the HRD minister.”
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The committee behind proposal
The committee that suggested the evaluation reforms was headed by professor M.M. Salunkhe, president, Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Its continuous evaluation idea, which UGC is attempting to replicate in the higher education system, was also tried in the school education level in the form of the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCEA).
Under CCEA, students up to Class 10 did not have to write exams but were evaluated throughout the year. The idea, however, failed at the school level and examinations had to be brought back, doing away with the no-detention policy.
Some private universities such as the Azim Premji University and Ashoka University already follow the continuous evaluation process. Students are evaluated throughout the year on the basis of classwork, projects, paper presentations among other things. Their evaluation is not limited to only a term-end examination.
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‘Will be tough to replicate in colleges’
Rajesh Jha, a Delhi University teacher felt that something like this would be difficult to replicate in a government institution.
“One has to see the size of our classrooms; there are 60 students in one class,” Jha told ThePrint. “How are we going to be able to do internal assessment with things like group discussions and poster making with them?
“What are we going to teach the students anyway by poster-making? If the government wants a curriculum that makes students more creative and develops their critical ability, they should assess this scheme properly before implementation,” he added.
While students in private universities that already have a continuous evaluation method seemed happy with the arrangement, those in government institutions seemed apprehensive.
“We keep interacting with students and they tell us that they don’t want internal assessment. They want 100 per cent weightage for exams,” Jha said.
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This methodology of evaluating students is being practiced for last 7 years in Cluster Innovation Centre, University of DelhiandMass Communication Centre, Jamia Millia Ishlamia University Delhi in course Master of Mathematics Education under the Meta University Concept. This was brainchild of mathematician and erstwhile VC Dr. Dinesh Singh. I am a tutor of Maths. I have completed this course in first batch. I enjoyed a lot and did successfully in my forties. The age difference between me and the all other students. I intermingled with them in all educational activities viz paper presentations, debates, seminars, open book test, projects, research and etc. The sole aim of these activities was discourageing rote learning. Prof. Singh wanted to revamp the education system of DU. He introduced 4-year bachelor degree. He also introduced B. Tec. in Humanties. B. Tech. in humanities! strange full thought. He was doing freely in Congress regime. The government changed in 2014.Various VCs were changed but he continued. But in new regime he didn’t enjoy freedom as previous one. He had to step down. The scope of above courses was curtailed. Their names were changed. MME became Msc. Math Education. 4-year was changed into 3-year bachelor degree
Hi I am a professor in Chemistry. I just want to say in Maharashtra most of the college’s have more than 200 – 300 students in a single class at UG level. Implementing such a good thing we welcome, but we have to think about other aspect also. How we are going to manage such things for such crowded class and that also in a semester where students came to college for 3-4 months in a semester. Rest of the time goes in examination and holidays. After all we have to complete the syllabus also. Quality education will be come to students when there is compulsion of 30-40 students per class maximum. But institution never going to do that. What about the job openings for graduate students in their respected field. Even after completing post graduation. Experimenting on students and teachers will give some results but we have to go to root cause. The meeting of policy makers should be with principal of the college’s and lecturers. Applied syllabus should be implemented and before a student pass out he or she should be confident and sure about his job. Making Indian youth smarter not larger in strength will be the future.
As a student of kv , I appreciate the initiative of khadi .
I am a kv student I would prefer shirts and skirt’s for girls , so it will look formal and for boys I will prefer shirts and full pant . These uniforms are comfortable in doing outgoing activitys and even students will feel high comparing to private schools . Sometimes children feel not high due to suits and even private schools children teases us for wearing a suit with coat ( little bit feels like watters ) so I prefer skirt’s instead of suits with a tie , so it will look more formal and students will be comfortable and will have confidence in themself’s.
I’m a KV student and according to me uniform must be change but khadi is a thick fabric , it will create problem for students while playing and in other activities