Reforms in our examination system

---Leena Mehendale

[ gyst from my Marathi article "Pariksha Paddhatit sudhar" appearing in 'Ma. Ta.' 1996 and Maitrichya Palikade diwali1998]

            This article suggest some modifications in our examination system which can be easily carried out on modular basis.  They will be conducive to improve our human resources.

 

          At present we use printing technology for our question papers which is essentially centralised in character and hence heavily burdened with increase in no. of examinees per year.  We should change examination pattern to introduce decentralisation  in examinations by replacing the printing technology with computer technology.

 

          A question bank can be put in the computer on different subjects and for different levels.  For every student the computer will pull out a question paper by random selection of questions.  Two advantages are: (a) the menace of copying will reduce (b) menace of unionised staff going on strike in the nick of examinations time creating tension for the children and their parents will reduce.

 

          Shifting from printing technology to computer technology will save valuable time of many teachers and administrative staff in the School Exam. Boards, colleges or universities.  This time and manpower can then be utilised for better quality  evaluation of the question papers.

 

          It will be easier to implement this change if the no. of students per examination is less.  Hence having all examinations in the same subject on the same date and time should be avoided.  Encourage children to take the examination according to their convenience, say once in two months in any subject and for any level.  With fewer examinees also, the quality of evaluation will improve.

 

          The attendance in the school or college must not be

compulsory.  No student be debarred from taking examination on grounds of non-attendance in school.  Children should be allowed to take examination according to their own ability and level even without formally sitting through the formal education in school or college.  Later or sooner, they should be allowed to enter formal system at their convenient choice.

 

          The advantage of formal school are: (i) It allows large number of students to go through a standard pattern of education together and thus reduce the time and staff needed to produce a standard batch; (ii) Curriculum development by experts and continuous updating of the syllabus; (iii) Opportunity to mix with the other children of same age group.

 

          Despite this, the formal system is not and cannot be the only right system, as is evident from the present 45% illiteracy and present steep drop out rate from Class-I to Class-V and above.  This speaks volumes of inadequacies of our formal system and need for alternatives. Removing compulsory attendance in school has many advantages.

 

          Consider the following cases who cannot/should not attend school as needed in formal system.

 

          a)      A student who has to earn his bread by any type of child labour.

 

          b)      A genious who wants to use more time in developing her ability for international chess competition.

 

          c)      A child who is interested in trecking, or environmental issues, forests, wild life etc. and can take out  only some time for studying the school subjects.

 

          All of them need an evaluation so that at a later date they may enter in the formal system if they wish to.

 

          Evaluation must be more transparent.  When secretive, it leaves the children suspicious of schools and examinations and we cannot expect that on growing up they will respect the concepts of justice or honesty.

 

          Allow children to write the examination in their mother tongue rather than insisting on English as in the subjects of science, engineering etc.  This way a large number of brilliant students will get chance to demonstrate their ability.

 

          Perhaps not every child wants to know his exact marks but only the grade.  Two types of evaluation can be done.  One for those who only want to know their grade and other for those who want their exact marks.  It should be possible for the children of the first type to later ask for further evaluation of their exact marks.  This will also reduce the burden on the system of examination.

 

          The honorarium given to the examiner per answer paper ranges between 70 paise to 120 paise.  This and the time for examining one question paper must be enhanced considerably for a better quality evaluation.

 

 

 

          Today’s examinatiion system is only for standarised pattern of education meant for average students.  It does not give justice to two categories - those who are extremely genious or those who for economic or other inabilities cannot afford formal schooling.  Together they are 50% of our children population.  They can get self esteem and confidence if allowed/chance to prove their abilities by the above suggested alternative methods.