After much dilly-dallying, the State government has finally announced its decision to introduce jumbling system in practical exams for Intermediate students from this year.
Students will now go to other colleges to write their test under external examiners to ensure fair and unbiased result.
“Let there be no confusion in the minds of the students or their parents. This year’s Intermediate practical exams, scheduled to start from February 3, will have jumbling system,” said B. Udayalakshmi, Secretary of the Board of Intermediate Education (BIE), on Tuesday.
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Though the government announced its decision in June itself, there were doubts about its implementation. This is because last year the government had to withdraw the proposal after many colleges said their labs were not well equipped and they needed more time.
The State decision has triggered protests in some places. Students of a few colleges in Kadapa and Kurnool districts took out rallies, culminating in dharnas, demanding roll back of the move.
The BIE officials brushed aside these protests saying they were ‘provoked’ by their managements.
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Ms. Udayalakshmi defended the move saying it was imperative to ensure quality education. “And quality would come only when we have transparency, accountability and responsibility.”
On February 3, 3.2 lakh Intermediate students will appear for practical exams in 977 centres across the State. Of them, 2.4 lakh are from the MPC group and 78,000 from the BiPC stream. Students of vocational courses in 27 different branches will write their test in 555 centres.
Similarly, 10.32 lakh students will take the Intermediate theory exams scheduled from March 1 in 1,445 centres.
About preparedness, the BIE official said Regional Inspecting Officers had visited lab facilities to ensure availability of chemicals and specimens needed for the exams in government, aided and even unaided colleges. In addition to district-level high power committees, District Examination Committees were formed to monitor the arrangements.
Interestingly, almost all student unions are supporting the government decision. “The move has triggered worry for managements of private and corporate colleges some of which do not even have laboratories. They don’t take any practical classes and instead, exercise a free hand by allotting full marks to their students,” said A. Ravichandra, State general secretary of the Progressive Democratic Students Union.
“When students are O.K. with jumbling system in theory exams, why should it worry them in practicals?” wondered S. Noor Mohammed, State secretary of the Student Federation of India.