Educationists slam Panjab University’s decision to hold exams

Lovleen Bains
Sahnewal, September 14

Panjab University’s decision to conduct exit semester examinations in a blended (online/offline) mode has met with disapproval from educationists and intellectuals.

As per the instructions of Panjab University (PU), candidates will solve question papers from their remote locations and send the PDF file of the answer sheet to the source or hard copy in a sealed envelope to their respective college within four hours from the start of examination.

Pupils need to submit answers sheets in 4 hrs

• As per the instructions of Panjab University (PU), candidates will solve question papers from their remote locations and send the PDF file of the answer sheet to the source or hard copy in a sealed envelope to their respective college within four hours from the start of examination.
• “We are trying to contact our students, prepare their email IDs, collect information and make lists in such a short span. The university should have taken all stakeholders into confidence before undertaking such a big activity,” Dr RS Jhanji, Principal, AS College, Khanna.

“As a student has four hours to attempt paper, but it is natural for him or her to solve/write questions at a centralised place with outside help. Moreover, the university is conducting examinations in such a haste and haphazard manner that colleges and examinees are in a real fix,” rued Dr RS Jhanji, Principal, AS College, Khanna.

“We are trying hard to contact our students, prepare their email IDs, collect information, make lists, clear pending dues and issue admit cards in such a short span. The university should have taken all stakeholders into confidence before undertaking such an enormous activity,” he added.

“It is shameful for me to conduct examination in such a manner under my supervision. It would have been better if the university had sent question papers to colleges and asked them to hold examination on their own. We could have held examinations while following proper procedure. Imagine an examinee with his or her paper for four long hours and that too without any check! I fail to understand what after all is going on and where would it lead to?” said Dr Kuldip Singh, Principal, Constituent College Nihal Singh Wala, Moga.

“Conducting of examinations for exit classes by the PU is nothing less than sheer mockery. Undoubtedly, the university is in a big hurry, which is worrisome for students. To me, the whole procedure is not in the right perspective. Things could have been far better if open book system was adopted and students were examined through objective type question papers,” said Tarun Ghai, head, the Department of Political Science, SPN College, Mukerian.

Dr Tejinder Dhaliwal, Principal, Guru Nanak College for Girls, Muktsar, too is of the same opinion as she feels that open book system should have been adopted to conduct exit semester examinations.

“Exit examinations have been forced on students and the PU by the University Grants Commission. The decision has been taken despite the fact that seven state governments have expressed their reservation and opposition to conducting examinations at this stage,” opined Tarsem Bahia, chairman, Punjab Educationists Forum, and retired principal.

“The PU perhaps had no choice. But, the mode of conducting examinations and their credibility has been seriously compromised. Therefore, weightage of exit examinations should be considerably reduced in the overall assessment so that results remain broadly neutral,” he added.

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