Punjabi University's casual approach confuses students; provide old pattern exam questionnaires
Bathinda, December 29
Punjabi University’s causal approach in conducting examinations has raised confusion among the students. The old pattern of question papers have been provided to students.
Paper cuttings, and black-markers, were used to hide previous code on the papers.
For some courses, handwritten questionnaires were given instead of a computerised copy with a fresh set of instructions.
Several students faced trouble in understanding a few words in the questionnaires as well. As per new guidelines, the total time for the exam is two hours, but the old exam paper reads three hours.
Similarly, as per the new guidelines, students need to attempt 50 per cent of the questions, but the old pattern has been divided into three sections with instructions to attempt 3-4 questions in each section.
This negligence is despite the fact, that university has collected around Rs 2,000 examination fee from more than 2 lakh students of 17 courses appearing for exams in various colleges of the university.
In the MA history paper, the years of history were incorrectly written as 1707-1952 instead of 1707 to 1772.
The university announced that they would not make any payment to staff for evaluating the answer books. Since 2017, the university has not given the fees to its evaluating staff.
“The question papers should have been properly typed with new, and specific instructions so as to avoid any confusion amongst the students. It is a sorry state of affairs on academic, financial and administrative front of the university,” said Educationalist Prof NK Gosian.
However, Dr Jasvirinder Singh Khattar, Professor In-charge (Examination), Punjabi University, Patiala said: “The examination fees vary for classes. It is for the complete process including paper setting and paper checking. Some exam papers seem to be previously devised as the exam papers were set earlier than per syllabus and instructions for online conduction of examination was released after, as per requirement”, adding, that the examination department has streamlined the process and all papers are typed and being released as per new pattern.
