Open book online-proctored test announced by Anna University seems to have caught the attention of senior professors of Bharathidasan University.
Further refining the initiative pioneered last year by Delhi University in the country, Anna University has allowed students to refer to course material in print and in the web, but considers any form of discussion among students as malpractice.
All questions, according to engineering college heads, will be of analytical type for which no direct answers could be found in reference books.
‘Not easy as it sounds’
According to a senior professor of Bharathidasan University, open book exam is not as easy as it sounds. It requirespresence of mind on the part of students to know how to chaff out the answer from reference books within the specific time duration.
“There is a misconception about open-book exam is easy. Since this type of exam tests students' ability to quickly find relevant information based on an understanding and analysis of the subject with a frame of critical thinking, it is, in fact, tougher than closed book exams,” K. Parthasarathy, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Open University, said.
The open book examination is the best option in the current situation, Mr. Parthasarathy said.
Teachers of affiliated colleges where students from remote villages study do have an apprehension that open book examination may not be suitable in a situation where internet connectivity is not uniform.
Factoring in these concerns, Bharathidasan University has decided to go ahead with conducting exams in the descriptive mode for this semester.
“The question papers for multitudes of subjects have already been set and the scope for trying out examination in MCQ [multiple choice question] format does not exist,” Gopinath Ganapathy, Registrar, BDU, said.
