Open Book Examination (OBE) has started in Delhi University. Around 2,40,000 final year undergraduate and postgraduate students are taking the exams.
Several DU colleges got answer sheets of “unknown” students during the first two OBE. This raised many serious concerns. These answer scripts could have been misplaced. Thus, it may lead to utter chaos during the evaluation process.
In the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic, this year, DU devised a new “OBE” method. The online exam began on Monday. The online examinations will end by the 31st of August.
During OBE, students have to upload their answer scripts on the university’s online examination portal. Also, they can send the copies to their respective colleges/departments via email.
After two days, some colleges complaint that they received answer copies of unregistered students. For example, IP college got around 50 unregistered copies on Monday.
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Colleges raised concerns
College Principal Babli Moitra Saraf said that we couldn’t identify the name of the college of those students. We have kept their answer sheets separately. Also, we have already informed the university administration. We have to wait for either students or colleges to come up and clear the turmoil.
On Tuesday, Karorimal College received around 40 such scripts. College Principal Vibha Singh Chauhan asserted We have also received answer scripts of students from other colleges. Subsequently, we have put up a notice on our website instructing students to send their answer copies to their respective colleges only. We have forwarded the 40 answer scripts to the university administration with a note that they are not of our pupils.
The principal of Aryabhatta College, Manoj Sinha also confirmed to receive such scripts. He immediately forwarded them to the DU admin office.
Several faculty members raised concerns about this. Rajesh Jha, a member of DU’s executive council (EC), said, The colleges will have a harrowing time compiling the answer copies for evaluation. Colleges will have to send such papers to the DU’s exam branch, where they’re a possible breach of student secrecy may take place. Who will take the commitment if these answer copies get misplaced?
Despite several attempts, DU VC did not pick up any calls. Also, he didn’t react to any texts.
What will happen to unknown OBE answer scripts?
Sanjeev Singh, the head of DU computer center replied over this issue. Colleges informed his department that they are receiving answer sheets of colleges. The exam branch will look after the issue. The exam branch will segregate these papers according to the roll numbers. Due to which, the issue could be solved easily.
He further said that each student has their unique email Id, given by the University. They should have not uploaded answer sheets with different IDs.
DU OBE: 35K STUDENTS APPEARED, MANY ENCOUNTERED GLITCHES
A big challenge for exam Branch
Delhi University Teacher’s Association (DUTA) Treasurer Abha Dev Habib raised his concern over OBE evaluation. Also, the exam branch is going to have nightmares while compiling the answer sheets. Many students have uploaded papers multiple times. How will they choose which script should be treated as a final script for evaluation? The OBE will have many such problems for sure in the upcoming days as well.
No issues, University have circulated the Google form to all the nodal officers, about those students who have sent the multiple copies through emails and portal. Moreover, asked the individual students to fill whether which script then want to be considered for future evaluation and timing of that email/portal Upload. That’s a great intitiative.