Offline or online? Schools in a dilemma over mode of exam

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, February 22

With the ongoing academic session in schools coming to an end and the final examination set to start, the authorities have a mixed take to the mode of conducting the examinations. While some schools have already begun with online examinations, others have announced that they would be taking examination only on offline mode. A few others have decided to go as per parents’ will, giving options of both online and offline examinations.

Principalspeak

Students of Classes IX and XI are already appearing for offline examinations. We have been telling parents of other classes also to send their children to school as we will be taking their offline examination from February 28 onwards. — Rashmi Vij, Principal, Police DAV Public School

Parents are saying they will now send their children to the schools from the new session. We have sent consent forms to them and we expect that only 30-40% will opt for offline examination, with the rest preferring online mode only. — Rajiv Paliwal, Principal, Innocent Hearts School

Since vaccination is available only for 15 years and above, most students covered in this age group are from Class IX onwards.

The school authorities that are taking online examination or giving an option to choose between the two modes are those which are a bit wary of the situation, despite the numbers of Covid cases falling every day.

St Joseph’s Convent School is already taking online examinations of students and they are expected to get over by the end of this week. Since it is an ICSE school, its academic calendar remains a little advanced. Even before the government had announced to open schools for Classes VI onwards, the school had already given out the datesheet for online examination and, hence, it decided to go on with an already announced schedule.

Police DAV Public School, on the other hand, has plans to take examination only on offline mode. “All our classes got started on offline mode recently. We are getting a good attendance of students in almost all classes, except at junior level. Students of classes IX and XI are already appearing for offline examinations. We have been telling parents of other classes also to send their children to school as we will be taking their offline examination from February 28 onwards,” said Principal Rashmi Vij.

The schools, which have been giving an option of only offline examination, are of the opinion that a proper reality check of students’ level of understanding and assessment can be made only if they take offline examination. Despite giving the students a good lesson to be truthful to themselves and not open their books at the time of online examination, copying has been widely rampant and students have forgotten how to learn and prepare for the examination.

Delhi Public School Principal Ritu Kaul said she had announced that the school would be taking offline examinations from February 28. “Only children with genuine problems will be given an exception of not coming to the school. Till the time examinations begin, we have started a ‘Bridge the gap’ programme for students. Our teachers are revising all basic concepts of each subject so that children are able to understand things better in the physical mode of classroom,” she said.

Authorities of Innocent Hearts School, however, maintained that despite opening of the school, a large number of parents were still not ready to send their wards. Principal Rajiv Paliwal said, “Parents are saying that since it is the end of session, they would now be sending their children to the school from the new session. They are also hopeful that vaccination for 12-14 year-old children, too, might begin by then. Hence, we have sent consent forms to parents and we expect that only 30-40 per cent of parents would opt for offline examination, with the rest preferring online mode only.”