Deemed univs to hold final yr exams online

Deemed univs to hold final yr exams online

AI Tools To Help Keep A Check On Test Candidates

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai:04.06.2020

In view of pandemic-related restrictions, a majority of deemed universities are likely to conduct exams for final year students online to help them graduate. The institutions are offering choices varying from online open book tests to permitting students with connectivity issues to take tests offline.

Some of the deemed universities are preparing question banks for the online exams.

SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) is conducting viva-voce online for final year students. “In a few branches, students have course work in the final semester. We are offering them online tests,” said Sandeep Sancheti, institute vice-chancellor. For students who are not able take the tests online, the university will conduct tests in the offline mode at the earliest.

“If, for some reason, say lack of proper smart devices or connectivity issues, they fare poorly in the online tests, students can give the test again offline. We plan to consider best of the two results. It will make students more comfortable while taking exams online,” Sancheti added.

The institute’s online tests for all students will include multiple choice questions, descriptive questions and will be monitored by artificial intelligence (AI) tools. For some courses, the institute plans to reduce the weightage for end semester exams and increase weightage of internals.

Sastra University also plans to conduct end semester exams for final year students online. “It will be an open book online test backed by oral assessment,” said S Vaidyasubramaniam, its vice-chancellor. “A software will allot questions — a mix of MCQs, descriptive and analytical questions — randomly to students so they do not get identical ones. The oral assessment will ensure students know the concepts,” he added.

Students in other years of their degrees, given they have 50% attendance, will be graded based on internal exams and can opt to appear for an improvement exam later.

Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology is planning to conduct exams online if the situation does not improve by the first week of July. “We plan to conduct pen and paper mode exam for final year students. For others, we may conduct it online depending on the Covid-19 situation,” a senior official from the institute said.