Is online Open Book Exam feasible in India

Is online Open Book Exam feasible in India

Rajlakshmi Ghosh finds out if online exam model can become the new norm of assessment despite the resistance it is facing from students

06.07.2020

With the University of Delhi (DU) postponing the online open book exam (OBE), questions regarding the feasibility of the exam continue to rage. Amid opposition from teachers and students, it is pertinent to ask what would constitute an online open book exam and how critical is it to conduct them at this stage?

Workable solution

“The exam is implemented to assess the conceptual understanding, critical thinking and analytical skills of the students,” says Neelesh Kumar Jain, director (officiating) of IIT Indore where 263 final year BTech students took online open book examination. “The decision was taken to avert stress for the graduating students as delaying the exams would have hampered their placements,” Jain adds. The institute developed an in-house Technology Enabled Evaluation (TEE) platform for the delivery of the question paper and the receiving of the handwritten answer sheets. “Since it is an open book concept, most of the questions are based on case studies and practical problems, to maintain the fairness of the examination.”

As open book exams have invited a fair share of resistance, Mujibullah Zuberi, controller of examinations, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) says, “The concept is new for both faculty and students and not everyone is receptive to change. We should have a judicious mix of exam models to help ease pandemic-induced trauma/stress.” On the subject of open book exams creating a ‘digital divide’, Zuberi clarifies that the exam requires only limited internet usage, mostly for downloading the question paper during the commencement of the exam and uploading the answers sheets.

“However, the internet speed and connectivity, availability of electricity and hardware are major concerns for many. These factors need to be addressed,” Jain says.

Future lies in digital evaluation

MK Surappa, VC, Anna University, Chennai, says, “In a country of one billion mobile force, are we to assume that most students do not have mobile/online access? Conducting examinations is imperative to pass the students. In the current COVID-19 crisis, online open book exams will work best for our over 1 lakh final semester students, many of whom are spread across the country.” The university, he says, plans to conduct the online OBE soon where students will be asked “MCQs due to time constraints”.