Post-grad exams a nightmare for doctors and board

Post-grad exams a nightmare for doctors and board

Rema.Nagarajan@timesgroup.com

10.07.2020

Practical exams for thousands of doctors doing Diplomate of National Board (DNB), a post-graduate course, has turned out to be a nightmare for most of them who are on Covid duty, and for the institution conducting the exam, the National Board of Examination (NBE).

With states and even individual cities or districts moving in and out of various levels of lockdown, DNB doctors are under severe stress about making it to exam centres located in cities across India. They are also worried that they might be put under quarantine or might test positive close to exam date or that they might catch the infection while traveling or appearing for the exam to places or hospitals that are Covid hotspots.

The practical exams are for 18 out of 57 specialties and super specialties in which NBE conducts DNB courses. Theory exams were held in December 2019. Practical exams were to be in April but got delayed by the pandemic. NBE executive director Prof Pawanindra Lal told TOI that it was imperative to hold these exams as these specialties were feeder qualifications for the NEET super specialty entrance examination and fellowship entrance test to be held in September.

Many DNB candidates sought a waiver of practical exams altogether. However, senior DNB faculty members point out that for clinical specialties, practical exams to test clinical skills should not be waived. However, they agree that it is insensitive to expect them to travel during Covid. Exams for just 18 specialties, extending from July 14 till August 27 will involve almost 4,000 DNB candidates having to travel to exam centres across India.

Dr Lal said, “We are trying to ensure minimum travel for students and are in touch with every student who got a centre outside their own state because we understand the challenges of interstate travel. For instance, when Kolkata announced a shut down, we had to create a new centre in Guwahati for just two candidates from there and another from Manipur,” explained Dr Lal. However, candidates insist that a majority have not got a centre even within the zone they chose, leave alone the state. A candidate from Punjab has got a centre in Bangalore and another from Maharashtra got a centre in Karnataka. With Karnataka’s policy of 14-day quarantine for those from Maharashtra, the candidate is worried.

CBSE course cut to impact JEE, NEET tests next year

CBSE course cut to impact JEE, NEET tests next year

Manash.Gohain@timesgroup.com

New Delhi  10.07.2020

: The impact of rationalisation of CBSE syllabus for 2020-21will not be restricted to next year’s Board exams alone but also on JEE (Main) and NEET-UG, the competitive tests for admission to engineering and medical courses. Deletion of topics from physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology, which are also part of the syllabus for JEE (Main) and NEET-UG, make paper-setting for the medical and engineering entrance tests of 2021 a tricky affair.

The National Testing Agency on Thursday consulted subject experts on the issue and plans to place the matter before the Joint Admission Board (JAB). The IITs, which conduct JEE (Advanced) will also put it up for review by its committee and paper setters to assess the effect.

The CBSE on Tuesday announced its revised syllabus for the 2020-21 academic session due to Covid-19 outbreak where key topics like laws of motion, optics, communication system and electronic devices in physics; 3D geometry, continuity and differentiability, binomial theorem in mathematics; some P-block elements, environmental chemistry, polymers, general principles and processes of isolation of elements in chemistry; and human physiology and reproduction, among others, in biology were dropped.

According to NTA sources, the agency placed the revised syllabus of the CBSE before its subject expert committee on Thursday. The experts observed that since the biggest chunk of candidates for the medical and engineering entrance tests comes from the CBSE, it will have to significantly change the question papers.

A senior NTA official said, “When we plotted our syllabus with that of the revised CBSE syllabus, there is a huge difference. Though senior secondary students start preparing for the exams much early, one can’t ignore the changes in the syllabus.”

CBSE on Tuesday announced its revised syllabus for the 2020-21 academic session due to Covid-19 outbreak

GTU to conduct exams in MCQ , OMR formats

GTU to conduct exams in MCQ , OMR formats

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:  10.07.2020

The Gujarat Technological University has decided to conduct online and offline (pen & paper) exams for final-year students in OMR and MCQ based question paper formats, respectively.

The online exams will consist of 70 marks paper having 70 questions, the duration of which will be 70 minutes.

This decision was taken on Thursday at a meeting of faculty deans from various GTU affiliated colleges. Plans are afoot to conduct the online exams before July 30.

“It has been decided to conduct exams for final year undergraduate students in OMR format before end of this month. We are planning to do the same for post graduate candidates also,” said Navin Sheth, vicechancellor of GTU. In the case of online exams, students can take the test using cellphones, laptops, desktops, tablets or other such devices with internet connectivity.

For students who do not have access to internet, arrangements will be made by colleges like setting up of computer terminals or Wi-Fi hotspots.

GTU is expected to announce the exam dates for pen & paper exams by August 15, said sources.

For students who cannot take either of the two – the offline and online exams, the varsity will conduct special exams that will be held before September 30 according to University Grants Commission’s latest guidelines. Gujarat education department has directed all varsities to conduct online exams before end of July. An estimated 54,000 students are likely to participate in the GTU exams for final year. GTU will perhaps become the first university in Gujarat to hold the final semester exam in MCQ and OMR formats.

Earlier the varsity had decided on conducting theory exams from July 2 however it had to cancel at the eleventh hour after the state government directed all universities to cancel exams till further directions from the Centre and UGC.

GU defers PG dental exams

Gujarat University has decided to defer the exams for postgraduate dental courses that were slated to begin from July 14. The exams will now be held later after getting a go-ahead from the state government. The varsity has also decided to defer the exams for various courses including paramedical, Masters in Physiotherapy, MSC Nursing and BHMS. These exams have been rescheduled to July 20, said sources.

Former UGC chief seeks cancellation of final-year exams

Former UGC chief seeks cancellation of final-year exams

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: 10.07.2020

Former University Grants Commission (UGC) chairperson Sukhadeo Thorat and a few professors from Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University have jointly written to UGC asking it to reconsider its July 6 notification on exams.

“The UGC’s latest advisory on examinations is unfortunate because it takes us backwards rather than forward. It effectively extends the period for holding of exams for final-year/semester cohorts until September; and is the second such postponement. It creates fresh uncertainty for states that had already decided to cancel exams,” read the letter signed by professors Apoorvanand, Nandini Sundar and N Sukumar from DU and Ayesha Kidwai and Jayati Ghosh from JNU.

“The recommendation to cancel exams was prompted by an unprecedented health emergency, not by doubts about the value of examinations. When faced with such an emergency, cancelling exams has two main advantages: First, it avoids the extended uncertainty created by repeated (but unavoidable) postponements. Second, it protects the integrity of the examination by refusing to abandon its two most basic features — impartiality, or equal treatment of all examinees; and close supervision to prevent cheating,” the signatories added.

The letter said that examinations held in the ‘online’ or ‘mixed’ mode will be biased because they will favour students with better access to the internet.

“Cancelling exams during a pandemic is sensible and fair precisely because examinations are important and must not be devalued. It is to be expected that the uncertainties of a pandemic situation will create the genuine need for repeated postponements. Using alternative methods of evaluation based on each student’s own past performance (in exams conducted in normal times) offers a fair solution and brings closure, with the option of retaking the exam when normalcy is restored,” the letter further added.

கத்தாரில் மேலும் 608 பேருக்கு கொரோனா

கத்தாரில் மேலும் 608 பேருக்கு கொரோனா

Updated : ஜூலை 08, 2020 21:03 | Added : ஜூலை 08, 2020 21:02

தோஹா : கத்தாரில் கொரோனா தொற்று அதிகரித்து மேலும் 608 பேர் நோய் தொற்றால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டதாக அந்நாட்டின் சுகாதாரதுறை தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

கொரோனா வைரசின் தாக்கம் உலகின் பல நாடுகளையும் அச்சுறுத்தி வருகிறது. கத்தாரில் கொரோனா தொற்றுக்கு இன்று 608 பேர் புதிதாக பாதிக்கப்பட்டது பரிசோதனையில் உறுதியானது. இதனால் நாட்டில் மொத்த நோய் பாதிப்புகளின் எண்ணிக்கை 1,01,415 ஆக உயர்ந்தது. கத்தாரில் தொற்றுக்கு புதிதாக 4 பேர் பலியாகியுள்ளனர். இதுவரை கத்தாரில் கொரோவிற்கு பலியானவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை 138 ஆக அதிகரித்தது. ஒரு நாளில் நோய் பாதிப்புகளில் இருந்து 1,204 பேர் முழுமையாக குணமடைந்துள்ளனர். கத்தாரில் கொரோனா பாதிப்புகளில் இருந்து மீட்கப்பட்டவர்களின் எண்ணிக்கை 96,107 ஆக அதிகரித்துள்ளது.

நாட்டில் தீவிர சிகிச்சையில் 712 பேர் மற்றும் சிக்கலான மற்றும் பாதிப்புகளை கொண்ட 154 பேர் உட்பட 5,308 பேர் மொத்தமாக சிகிச்சையில் உள்ளனர். கடந்த 24 மணிநேரத்தில் மட்டும் 5,202 பேருக்கு சோதனை நடத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன. கத்தாரில் தொற்று நோய்க்கு இதுவரை 3,96,199 பேரின் மாதிரிகள் சேகரிக்கப்பட்டு பரிசோதனைக்கு உட்படுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன.

Pandemic delay leaves grad students worried

Pandemic delay leaves grad students worried

Mohita.Tewari@timesgroup.com

Lucknow:  09.07.2020

While the corona pandemic has derailed the academic calender this year, students are now worried that the ripple effect may continue next year too, as the academic sessions of all the universities in Lucknow are set to get delayed by at least three months. Worst hit are the final year students, many of whom may lose the opportunity to apply for higher studies or research programmes and even competitive examinations.

The academic sessions in most universities begin in July. But this year, even results have not been declared yet. While some universities have decided to promote students to next classes based on internal evaluation and performance in the previous semester, Lucknow University is yet to take a call on promotion policy. Officers of various universities say it will take at least three months to put the session back on the track.

TOI spoke to students of LU, Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University (SMNRU), Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University (KMCLU) and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University (AKTU) on the issue.

The common refrain was that the delay in start of the new session would extend their course duration by 3-4 months. This means, they will not be able to apply elsewhere for admission/research after graduation/postgraduation, winter internship plans would get derailed, and they may even lose an attempt in competitive exams which have limited attempts or age-bar. Students, therefore, want the government to chalk out a plan to check this ripple effect.

Arshit Shukla, BA III student of LU, said, “Had results been declared by now, we would have applied for admission in post graduation at other places. Now, it seems, the option for us would be to continue here.”

Mohit Singh, LU BSc III student, said he had plans to pursue postgraduation in Delhi and alongside join the coaching for civil service exams. But the plan is now on hold due to delay in announcement of results.

Abid Hasan, BCom II student of SMNRU, said, “Neither results have been declared nor have classes resumed. It seems the three-year course will take three-and-ahalf-year to complete and thereby impact our future prospects.”

“The summer break has already gone unutilized and now it appears the delay in session will also hit internship plans in winter break,” said Akshay Mishra, BTech III, Institute of Engineering and Technology, AKTU.

Priya Malhotra, who has passed Class XII and applied for graduation, said “Normally, new session would begin in July, but this year the admission process will be completed by September-October, which means fewer months to complete the session or a delay in the three-year-course.”

Barely 20% colleges want central system

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Lucknow

: Less than 20% of the colleges associated with Lucknow University have opted for admissions under the university’s newly introduced centralised admission system. As many as 35 colleges out of 176 had applied for the system by Wednesday, the last day for the application.

None of the four government and 20 government-aided colleges applied for admitting students under the university’s system. The colleges which have sent their assent for the system are private ones which have applied mainly for conducting admissions for professional courses like BBA and BCom (Hons).

The city’s top colleges such as National PG College, Jai Narain PG College, Isabella Thoburn College, Avadh Girls Degree College and Lucknow Christian College have already refused the new process, saying their admission process had already begun or that they had their own system to maintain their brand.

“LU has given the freedom to colleges to decide whether they want to go for centralised admission or not. The university will conduct the admission process of those which have applied under the centralised system,” said LU spokesperson Durgesh Srivastava.

On July 2, LU had sent a notification to all colleges informing them that for the first time the university will conduct centralised admissions. Under the new plan, along with admitting its own students, LU would also conduct admissions of colleges affilaited to it.

Xavier’s Univ among first to follow UGC exam diktat

Xavier’s Univ among first to follow UGC exam diktat

Scraps Plan To Publish Result On July 10

Somdatta.Basu@timesgroup.com

Kolkata:

St Xavier’s University becomes one of the first educational institutions in Bengal to follow UGC diktat and prepare to take tests for terminal-semester students by the end of September. This, when the university was ready to publish its terminal semester and MBA results on July 10. It will now suspend the earlier assessments and conduct a 50-mark online test for the end semester.

With hundreds of students already bagging jobs and scheduled to join the companies by this month, St Xavier’s University vice-chancellor Fr Felix Raj has written to the employers, seeking extension to submit the final semester marksheets, even for MBA graduates. Several students are also looking to join foreign universities, where they have to submit their final semester transcripts within a deadline.

“We had followed the UGC advisory, which was brought out in April, advising the universities to allocate 50% weightage to previous semesters and another 50% to continuous assessments. We had prepared our own formula, in which 50% marks were assigned to the previous semester, 25% on internal assessment and for the remaining 25%, we conducted exams on the virtual platform, based on online classes held during the lockdown,” said Fr Felix Raj. The evaluation was completed by June 30 and the marks were submitted to the controller of examinations. The university was ready with the results.

But UGC’s Monday notification left little scope for universities to allot marks to previous semesters, as was prescribed earlier. “We will now have to scrap the 50% weightage to marks from previous semesters and take online exams on 50 marks in each subject. We had conducted 25-mark online tests earlier. So, together it will be 75 marks in online exams and 25 on internal assessments,” said the Xavier’s University VC. “The new proposal will be placed before the executive council, the highest administrative decision-making body on Thursday.”

“The new circular says universities have to take exams for all terminal-semester candidates in offline, blended or online mode. Based on the infrastructure of the institutions, they can choose their mode,” said a senior higher education department official. He added though most state universities still stuck to the state-prescribed 80-20 evaluation formula, it was always better to follow UGC guidelines to have a parity among universities across India.

About publishing results, Fr Felix Raj said, “We will make fresh announcements. Now, we can only conduct online exams in August since in July, multiple areas in Bengal will be under lockdown. We had thought publication of results would have helped students focus ahead.”

Students fear the exams might be pushed back even further if lockdown continues. Some MBA students are apprehensive that their new employers might not entertain their request to extended the deadline to submit final marksheets. The university has written to all employers, informing them about the delay in publishing results and requesting them to either defer the joining dates or allow students to submit the final semester transcript later.

The university has 600 terminal-semester students in UG and PC together. The MBA course has another 120 students in the final semester.

St Xavier’s University will hold a 50-mark online test