NEW DELHI, MARCH 13: The January 1997 meeting of the academic council passed some radical examination reforms for Delhi University. Internal assessment, integrated papers, teacher involvement and showing corrected answer sheets to post-graduate students were some of the highlights of the proposals passed by the council.Fourteen months later, four days remain for the practical examinations to begin and there is no sign of any reforms. Numerous committees have identified the problems, suggested changes and submitted their reports. All the decision-making bodies of the university have had long deliberations on these reports and finally approved them. Implementation is the stumbling block.
Vice-Chancellor V R Mehta offers an explanation: ``Initially, we wanted to implement the exam reforms along with the changes in teaching techniques and syllabi which were being worked out. After both the packages were approved by the academic council, we appointed a committee to work out the actual implementation of thesuggested changes.'' The Kanwar Sen Committee was set up in May 1995. Earlier, the Thakur Committee was constituted in 1992-93. The verdict of both the committees was that the examination system needs drastic change.
The opening pages of the Thakur Committee report states: ``Over the years the university felt the need to bring about changes in the examination system in response to its deficiency...However, the reports of committees have either remained totally unimplemented or been implemented only in parts. Because of half-hearted measures, inadequacies have persisted and given rise to new problems.'' The problems which were identified include inadequacy of personnel, continued vacancy at different levels, overdue need for modernisation of facilities and absence of systematic planning.
``The Kanwar Sen Committee was the third or fourth in the running. Every Vice-Chancellor sets up these committees, a lot of time is spent by teachers working out the modalities and then nothing. All the objections peoplehave raised can only be sorted out if the reforms are implemented,'' says Vibha Maurya, member of the academic council. The council had debated the issue for a long time. The highlights of the package approved are: Compulsory involvement of teachers in the examination process, integrated subsidiary courses for undergraduates and continuous internal assessment.
``I don't see why 25 per cent internal marking could not have been implemented this session. Also, the quality of learning will improve if all the subsidiary courses are integrated with the main subjects. This will ensure that students don't take these subjects lightly. These programmes should have started,'' Maurya further adds.
Detailed suggestions on computerisation of the examination branch, revaluation of papers and format of question papers were also part of the Kanwar Sen report. Everyone is now waiting to see what the implementation committee has to say.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
