While many students are protesting against offline exams, teachers are looking for comprehensive restructuring exercises to help them
While many students are protesting against offline exams, teachers are looking for comprehensive restructuring exercises to help them
The situation in West Bengal remains fluid – which has recently seen protests by students – over the way college exams are conducted, with opinion as well as institutions divided on whether assessment should be done online or offline.
The state government is under pressure to bring a uniform policy that is binding on all, but the administration, citing the autonomy of universities, has so far stayed out of the way, putting students on a war path with their institutions. Is.
Both Rabindra Bharati University and Jadavpur University have announced to organize exam in offline mode, while the University of Calcutta – which has about 160 colleges affiliated – is yet to take a final call, even though it is not inclined to entertain the demand of students for online exams. More protests are expected after the university makes a formal announcement.
Vidyasagar University and Kalyani University in Midnapore, however, are planning to conduct online exams, while Kazi Nazrul University in Asansol has decided to postpone the examinations to be held across the state in June. The students argue that since classes were conducted online for most of the year, exams should also be conducted online – an argument that does not impress most of the learning community.
“Offline classes were conducted in colleges affiliated to the University of Calcutta and most other universities in West Bengal from February to April 22, i.e. for 12 weeks. The rules stipulate classes to be held 18 weeks per semester. Hence, the claim of a section of students that adequate number of classes were not conducted is false and misleading,” said a teacher from Kolkata’s Maulana Azad College.
student phobia
“But that does not mean that there is no basis for their fear for the offline examination. Appearing in an exam in person, writing (whatever) on a blank sheet within a time limit is a skill they have forgotten during the last two years. In fact, when the offline classes started, there was a need for extensive restructuring exercise,” said the teacher.
Most of the teachers describe the online exam as a farce in which honest, meritorious students fall prey to it. “Unfortunately, those minorities are a minority and we do not listen to their voices. In such an incendiary situation, the government should announce a uniform evaluation policy for all universities, something that will help students prepare to face offline examinations. and will also protect the future of meritorious students,” said another teacher associated with the University of Calcutta.
The West Bengal Government College Teachers Association has suggested to stick to the decision to increase the weightage on internal assessment and conduct offline exams for all semesters.
Samta Biswas, who teaches English at Sanskrit College and University, said: “Online exams, like online education, benefit the privileged. Those with access to high-speed internet, high-res smart phones, and expensive private tutors and resources. In the last semester many students could not upload their answer scripts on time due to connectivity issues, or uploaded completely wrong documents. Given these constraints, it is advisable to conduct physical tests, although I have always felt that assessment should ideally be semester long and developmental.”