The University of Madras has decided to constitute a committee to review the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in vogue for 15 years to usher in student-oriented reforms.
At a meeting of the Heads of Departments of nearly 70 departments on the four campuses early this week, Vice-Chancellor G. Thiruvasagam indicated the setting up of an expert committee to review the extremely flexible, inter-disciplinary CBCS.
After analysing the performance of the faculty and students in the past three years, he suggested that external experts could be involved in framing question papers and evaluation to improve the performance of students. Academically, the performance of students was found to be satisfactory. But as their performance was not up to industry expectations during group discussions and interviews, the university decided to review the system.
The CBCS is an autonomous system, wherein the faculty members have freedom from designing syllabus to evaluation of papers. In most of the departments, the entire process was internal and the reforms could include double valuation, sources said. While most of the departments were found to be effective in implementation of the CBCS, a few were found to be ineffective. As the university was keen to promote standards in every department, the review has been necessitated, university faculty sources said.
The CBCS is an extremely flexible system offering electives for students to pursue an inter-disciplinary approach. For instance, students of bio-physics could study bio-chemistry, genetics or molecular biology and vice-versa.
Introduction to related subjects broadens the knowledge of students promoting inter-disciplinary thinking facilitating students interested in studying abroad, professors say. The university should not think of employability alone, say some.
“Many of the students in the university are first-generation students and are from a down-trodden background. The reforms are to make the system more student-oriented,” says a department head.
