Delhi University Mulls Online Exams, UGC Nod Awaited

A proposal by Delhi University officials to hold exams online by directing students to record video clips in response to questions has met with opposition from deans of various departments, sources said. During a meeting of deans various departments with senior university officials and Dean of Examinations Vinay Gupta over video link, officers suggested that eight questions will be sent to students and they would have to answer four of them by uploading a five-minute video clip in response. 

However, a number of deans termed it "practically impossible" and "not feasible", the sources said. 

According to sources, the DU is mulling to hold online exams but is awaiting for a directive from the University Grants Commission. 

According to a professor who was part of the meeting, "Deans said many of the students live in areas where there are connectivity issues and many of them might be good in writing but not fluent in speaking. The mode of examination will not test a student properly." 

Another apprehension raised by deans was that if a department has 2,000 students, professors would have to prepare 16,000 different questions. 

"A professor won't be able to repeat the questions asked to one student for another. So, if a department has 2,000 students and each student has to be given a choice of eight questions, the professor would have to prepare 16,000 questions which is impossible," the professor said. 

Meanwhile, the Academics For Action and Development (AAD), a Congress-supported teachers group, condemned the "arbitrary and authoritarian proposal of the university administration for online examinations". 

"The examination in DU is a statutory process which can not be altered without approval of Academic Council and Executive Council. 

"The online process of paper setting, submission of answers and evaluation has very high chances of tampering and pilferage," it said. 

Last week, the university had postponed practical and written exams till further notice and said all the date sheets stand withdrawn.

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