The Bharathidasan University has introduced Optical Mark Recognition or Reading (OMR) for evaluating answer scripts of University Rank Examinations for the first time.
The move, which is aimed at declaring the objective type examinations as quickly as possible, was tested successfully when the university officials evaluated the answer scripts of University Rank Examinations (URA) held on Saturday and Sunday.
The university declared the results within a few hours after the completion of examinations, which were conducted for deciding the top rankers for the academic year 2014-15.
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As many as 630 candidates for 27 undergraduate programmes wrote the URE on the university’s main campus on Saturday. For the post graduate programmes, URE examinations were held on Sunday. Nearly 540 candidates for 25 post graduate programmes took part in it.
Soon after the completion of examinations, a team of officials, who were drafted for evaluating the answer sheets through OMR method, began the process.
They were scanned and processed in a computer. It captured the right answers and subsequently provided answers.
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It generated total marks of candidates. The process was completed within six hours. Then, the marks obtained by the candidates were sent to the officials concerned of the Controller of Examinations for approval on Monday and subsequently the results were announced.
“The results have been announced in a record time. The university has completed the process within no time,” says V.M. Muthukumar, Vice-Chancellor.
In the traditional method of evaluation, it would take at least one month.
Moreover, it would have consumed a lot of time and energy. The university would continue to take steps to announce results as quickly as possible, he added.
630 candidates for 27 UG programmes wrote the exam under OMR system
A team of officials was drafted for evaluation under the new method