Not waiting for UGC, several institutions start holding exams online

Team Careers360 | April 28, 2020 | 11:53 AM IST

NEW DELHI: “National Institute of Industrial Engineering (NITIE) achieves a new landmark by being a pioneer in successful conduct of online semester examinations of its final-year students. A unique approach using digital platform was designed and tested to give the students an experience of writing exams from home during COVID-19 lockdown,” said an official statement on Twitter.

With this, NITIE becomes the first higher educational institution to have successfully conducted online semester exams for the final-year students.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) also started the mid-semester exams online from April 27. The Vice Chancellor Mamidala Jagdish Kumar wrote on his personal Twitter handle, “In order to complete the academic requirements for the MSc, MPhil and PhD degrees, the school of environmental sciences, JNU has started the mid-semester exams using digital means from today until May 4, 2020. Way to go”.

The educational institutions are closed across the country due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Many universities have adopted online learning platforms to resume education but internet connectivity and unavailability of computers or smartphones hinder seamless teaching-learning process.

The University of Delhi (DU) is mulling over conducting the end-semester exams online. Incidentally, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) has expressed apprehensions over conducting classes in online mode, citing internet connectivity issues and lack of training and time given to teachers for adequate preparation of online classes.

While the state boards across the country have cancelled exams for all classes except Class 10 and Class 12, the universities are insisting on holding exams.

Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) held an emergency meeting to discuss the recommendations submitted by two committees. These committees were constituted to determine the academic calendar for universities, guidelines on examinations and measures to promote and implement online education. The UGC is expected to issue the guidelines for universities and colleges on conduct of examinations by next week.