Chandigarh, Monday, January 4, 1999
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Chandigarh, Monday, January 4, 1999 |
Doubts on re-evaluation system |
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How
authentic is CBSE’s new scheme? THE Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) New Delhi has announced the introduction of a scheme for comprehensive school-based evaluation for schools affiliated with it. The schools will be authorised by the CBSE to issue a certificate based on evaluations beginning with students appearing in the Class X examinations of the Board in March, 2000. While the CBSE believes that this scheme, a holistic assessment which allows complete freedom to schools to evaluates students, is ideal to motivate pupils to overcome inhibitions and realise their true potential leading to overall personality development, parents, students and even teachers and principals have apprehensions about the authenticity of this plan. Some feel it could even torpedo its very objectives. Why should there be such a hue and cry over what seems a reasonable endeavour of the CBSE ? “The accuracy of such a scheme is questionable” says Ms Surinder Bhanot, who teaches at Government Senior Secondary School, Sector 8-C, Chandigarh. “Although there may be a positive aspect or two to this scheme, its negative aspects far outweigh the positive ones. Teachers will have more control over students and fear of poor grading will restrict students’ expression and actually curb the development of their personality, Mrs I. Kalsi who teaches Class X at a local CBSE affiliated school, is quick to agree. “There is absolutely no necessity for such a scheme which seems nothing but a paper formality and mere eyewash. Teachers’ bias will play a dominant role in such evaluations” she adds, “which means parents may feel the need to appease teachers”. Brother D’Abreu, Principal, St John High School, Sector 26, Chandigarh feels “This is a powerful instrument that CBSE has placed in the hands of teachers. It could be exploited by teachers for personal advantage on the one hand or to actually groom students on the other hand. Accepting the high possibility of teachers’ guidelines need bias, he opines’ “for the scheme to be fair and effective, proper to be formulated by the CBSE.” This comes as an additional responsibility to the teachers. “It is certainly more pressure on teachers who will now have to maintain a diary on each child to rule out the possibility manipulation and this means thorough observation and flawless record-keeping throughout the year” says the brother. Considering today’s overwhelming class size, will it be possible for teachers to make an in-depth study to gauge the abilities of each child so accurately? The teachers who already feel “grossly- overburdened” see this as redundant. According to a teacher, who preferred anonymity, “As if we are not burdened enough, this comes as yet another care. We have over the years been sending internal grades to CBSE for subjects like Art/Craft and SUPW and for such purposes students are mere roll numbers to us. All we’ve got to keep in mind is that no student of the school gets a poor grade. This scheme seems an extension of such grading and thus, has little credibility.” If this is the case it is possible that all students in every school will end up with grades that are in the topmost bracket of the scale, irrespective of what their personality growth has been over the year? Amidst a host of questions the one that looms large is “How helpful will this scheme be?,” as Brother D’Abreu puts it. Ms Bhanot says “Since this scheme zeros down to being a modification of a character certificate, its of little value. How often do we go by character certificates while granting admission. Marks are all that matter.” Mrs Kalsi feels “such a certificate will be of no value. As always the academic performance, reflected in the detailed marksheet, will continue to remain the criterion for admission at the plus two level. If anything students may end up developing of double personalities”. Sukhad Juneja, a student of a local CBSE affiliated school, says: “As it is we begin to wilt under the pressures of excellence in academic performance in Classes IX and X. This scheme will only come as an unwarranted pressure for us to cope up with. It will tell on our academic performance. Moreover, a student will have to divert his energies in projecting in school a “good” personality as per the teachers’ standards which may not commensurate with his actual personality which he has already developed at this stage. It can only be viewed as a means to dilate the already colossal peer and parental pressures”. According to Ujala Jhamb, also a student, asks “how uniform will the assessment be going by the fact that the evaluation is entirely in the hands of schools, each with completely different standards? I think CBSE should give a second thought to such an important issue and formulate a standardised mode of dispensing these grades”. According to a parent, who preferred anonymity: “This scheme apparently has more pitfalls than the suggested benefits. For one, it will subdue the true personality of a child by making him/her submissive. The students will be too busy trying not to get into the bad books of a teacher. This submissiveness will also be transmitted to parents. This scheme should not be introduced as it seems to be almost of no practical value.” Mr Gulshan Sharma, another parent, however, welcomes this step. “Personality development is very essential and evaluations made to enhance and mould it will definitely go a long way in imparting in a child social and personal qualities that will augment his self-confidence and further his interactions in the world”. He however, adds: Unfortunately students will suffer the prejudices of teachers to mitigate the effect of such, a stance, the powers given to a teacher should not be arbitrary. Nevertheless, this scheme should be given a chance and it will definitely have some positive outcome”. Mrs Sarita Manuja, Principal, DAV Public School, Sector 8-C, Chandigarh too, welcomes this scheme as “a positive step taken by the CBSE. Teachers’ bias cannot be ruled out completely but it can be reduced considerably,” she opines. “This can best be achieved by CBSE taking precautions to avoid its misapplication by way of organising orientation programmes was for head of institutes as well as for teachers before the induction of the scheme where teachers can be asked to carry out sample work to equip themselves with a thorough understanding of the objective.” Another parameter of this scheme, worth consideration, is the number of CBSE-affiliated schools that exist along the length and breadth of country. Will these schools, particularly those in rural areas, or even those in urban areas, that do not concentrate on personality development, do justice to the job at hand? “Unfortunately, teachers, especially in rural areas, are not aware of the latest happenings in education. Thus it becomes all the more crucial to have a continuous and direct interaction between CBSE and teachers during the implementation of this scheme,” says Mrs Manuja. “Not everybody
takes these things seriously and to a majority it will
just amount to last-minute random grading,” says a
teacher Mr Gulshan Sharma maintains: “Every system
has its pros and cans giving it up is not the solution.
Constant monitoring by the CBSE will ironout the flaws,
if any, when they come to the fore”. |
Doubts on
re-evaluation system A STUDENT who sat for master’s in physical education exam of Punjabi University in April this year was stunned to receive a “re-appear” result in one paper. Unwilling to accept the result, he applied for a re-evaluation. Not only did he secure pass marks, but his aggregate score became the highest in the university, making him a claimant for the gold medal. The story does not end here. The university authorities were also astounded at such a drastic change in result. Following an enquiry, another astonishing fact came to light. Due to an administrative goof-up, the answer-sheets were mistakenly sent to an examiner who had evaluated them in the first place and had awarded 24 marks. The same examiner, however, had different thoughts the second time about the merit of the answers. Not only did he pass the student, but also awarded him 67 marks. While the examiner in question is now facing action, the case lays bare the quality of evaluation of answer-sheets. This is not a case in isolation but only instance. Every year scores of students witness an increase of marks after re-evaluation. There was a case in the subject of public administration of Punjabi University where marks were increased from 25 to 69. A B.A. (First year) student also saw his marks in one subject increased from 24 to 58. Interestingly, there were many cases in which marks were decreased. In one case a student who had got 30 marks in one subject got only 4 after re-evaluation. The occurrence of such cases with a drastic change in results every year have once again put a question mark on the present evaluation and the re-evaluation system. As it is the student who suffers most, is there a need to make the revaluation system more student-friendly by affecting a change in the present system of awarding marks on the basis of the average of the nearest two evaluations instead of the system of awarding the average of the highest two evaluations. A talk with a number of students who have applied for re-evaluation reveal that they have two main complaints. One, even if they register a substantial increase in marks, they are awarded average marks. Second, the re-evaluation result is declared very late. While the application forms claim that the result will be declared within two weeks, in actual practice, it takes months. An affected student preferring anonymity complained that he had applied for re-evaluation in English in which he had also filled a re-appear form for examination in September-October this year. The re-evaluation result had declared him “pass”. But the result came two days after he had appeared in the supplementary exam. Dr S.S. Pahal, officer on special duty and in charge of re-evaluation, Punjabi University, when contacted said, in comparison to the previous years the results were declared much in advance. However, an unavoidable delay occurred in those cases where the margin of difference was more than 10 per cent and the papers had to be sent to the third examiner. Students also feel there is a need to amend the system of calculating marks to be awarded to the student after re-evaluation. In the present system, the average of first evaluation and the second evaluation is awarded to the student, but if the margin of difference between the first and second evaluation is more than 10 per cent, the answer-sheets are sent for the third evaluation and the nearest two of the three evaluations added and their average awarded to the student. The students object to this system. They argue that the students suffer in case of erroneous evaluation. The system of awarding marks should be to the advantage of students. The average of the highest two awards should be considered for final marking. A look at the re-evaluation result figures of Punjabi University this year reveals that as much as 22 per cent answer-sheets were sent for third evaluation. Sources point out that the number of answer-sheets requiring a third evaluation is increasing. Dean, Academic Affairs, Punjabi University, Dr B.S. Bhatia, rejects the students’ suggestion. “The basis for re-evaluation is to verify the veracity of evaluation by teachers and not to increase the marks of the student”, he argues. Dr Amarjit Singh Dhillon, former Director, Department of Punjabi Development, in his paper on re-evaluation says that it needs to be handled with great care. He says the system is going to stay unless another better way of imparting justice to the examinees is found. Another paper on re-evaluation by Dr Amar Singh Dhaliwal, of GNDU, Amritsar, argues that it is an exercise in futility. Dr Ram Sarup, Registrar
Controller Examination, Jammu University, writes in his
paper that a study of re-evaluation cases had revealed
that 40 to 60 per cent of those who had applied
benefited. Citing figures from his university, he had
expressed the fear that as the number of applications for
re-evalaution are increasing every year, if the trend
continues, the rush for re-evaluation may lead to the
collapse of the examination system. |
| campus |
Regional
Centre without staff SHIMLA: A number of seminars were organised by H.P. University in the past fortnight on, development of hill areas and university participation, Indian freedom struggle. Indian federalism and multiculturalism and on the vision of Sri Aurbindo Ghosh. Eminent academicians besides scholars from the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, participated. * * * * * The VC, Dr C.L. Kundu, will complete his tenure on January 11. In an interview, he said his main achievement was introducing an academic calendar of 180 days as per the UGC guidelines and peace in the campus. He said he had cleared the backlog in SC/ST vacancies and made a special hostel for SC/ST girls. Main infrastructural facilities like building for International Centre of Distance Education and Open Learning, teachers’ houses and auditoriums were provided. All examinations were conducted and results declared in the stipulated period, there was no strike by non teaching staff in the past three years. The VC claimed to have secured grants from the UGC and got the university budget increased from Rs 9 crore to Rs 13 crore by the state government. * * * * * No purpose seems to have been solved with the appointment of Director at the Regional Centre of HPU, Dharamsala. There is no teaching or non-teaching staff available so far. Mr Partap Singh Rana, member of EC, has demanded immediate appointment of staff and other infrastructural facilities for the benefit of students in the coming academic session. He has also demanded an immediate meeting of EC which has not been held since five months and which should otherwise be held every month. * * * * * As exams are on in the campus these days, various teaching departments wear a deserted look. Some teachers have already left to escape the bitter cold on one excuse or the other. Most will return in March-end. Hence, students wanting guidance and consultancy are facing problems. * * * * * The university employees
have protested against the closure of the university main
gate after 10.15 a.m. on the orders of the Registrar who
wants to ensure punctuality among the employees. Most
university buses reach the university after 10.30 a.m.,
the employees assert. |
| diary |
Sexual abuse Protesting against sexual harassment of girl students by their teachers, hundreds of Bangladeshi students formed a human chain on the campus of Dhaka University recently. The protest was against the “indecent” behaviour of university teachers, Sabana Rehman, a student at the university said. She said, “We respect our teachers like our parents, but the immoral attitude of some teachers towards girls has forced us to call for protest.” The students submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor of the university, urging him to take action against offenders, reports ANI. Several incidents of sexual abuse, including four specific complaints of rape, have been registered with the Bangladesh police, sources said. Later, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor A. K. Azad Chowdhury, issued a stern warning against anyone trying to tarnish the image of the country’s oldest university. He said all actions according to proctoral rules would be taken against those indulging in activities which could damage the reputation of the university. Child workers freed The Nepal police has freed several children from forced labour in a raid conducted on a carpet factory. The children, some of them as young as 13 years, said inhuman treatment was meted out to them at the factory. “We couldn’t see the sun, even in this winter,” said one of them. Acting on a tip-off, the police swung into action and rescued the children from bondage. They said they were trying to contact the children’s families. “We will seek the assistance of child rights activists as well,” Deputy Police Superintendent Ranjan Koirala said. Employment of children under 14 years of age is illegal in Nepal and anyone found guilty of forcing children to work could face three to 10 years in prison, reports ANI Reference “suites” Computer-based reference
products are changing quickly. For example,
“suites” are products that include an
encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas, an almanac and a
variety of similar reference tools, all linked in ways
that enable users to move back and forth between them as
needed. All suites have links to the Internet for
updating or supplementing information, reports The New
York Times. Most of the suites use five CD-ROMs. A few
examples of available suites include: (1) 1999 World Book
Family Reference Suite, With Via Voice (I.B.M., Windows
95 and 98); (2) Encarta Reference Suite 99 (Microsoft,
Windows 95 and 98); and (3) 1999 Grolier Multimedia
Reference Suite (Grolier Interactive, Windows 3.1 and
later, and NT). |
| dead |
Business Economics Jan 6 University of Delhi South Campus, Department of Business Economics, Room No. 228, Arts Faculty Building, Benito Juarez Road, New Delhi 110021. *Master of Business Economics (MBE). Eligibility: Graduation with honours in Business Economics/Economics/ Commerce/Business Studies/Administration with 50% aggregate or graduation in other subjects with 55% aggregate (relaxation by 5% for SC/ST). Those appearing for the final year Bachelor’s degree exam in 1998 may also apply. Selection Procedure: Admission test on 8 Feb., ‘99 at Delhi, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Patna, Cochin, Baroda and Calcutta. Hostel accommodation & Fellowship: available. Application Form: Send Rs 50% by DD/Bankers Cheque in favour of “Director, University of Delhi South Campus” payable at State Bank of India” Service Branch, New Delhi, along with a self-addressed, stamped (Rs 4/-) envelope (24cmx12 cm), or Rs 50/- by DD/Bankers Cheque at counter. Computers Jan 11 National Centre for Software Technology (NCST) (under the administrative purview of the Deptt. of Electronics, Govt. of India), Gulmohar Cross Road No. 9, Juhu, Mumbai 400049. *Competence in Software Technology Examination (CST) for educational, R&D) and employment opportunities. Examination: On 31 Jan., ‘99 at Allahabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and Visakhapatnam. Eligibility: Graduation in any discipline. Final-year degree students are also eligible. Computer competence is desirable. Application Form: Send Rs 110/- by DD in favour of “NCST, Mumbai” or Rs 90/- in cash at counter. In Bangalore, Forms are available at: *NCST, 6th Floor, Main Tower, Visvesvaraya Centre, Dr. Ambedkar Veedhi, Bangalore 560001. Correspondence Courses Dec 31 University of Hyderabad, Centre for Distance Education, P.O. Central University, Hyderabad 500046. *(1) Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science (PGDCS) (1year). *(2) Postgraduate Diploma in Planning and Project Management (PGDPM) (1year). * (3) Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Education & Management (PGDPM) (1 year). *(4) Postgraduate Diploma in Translation Studies in English (PGDTSE) (1-year). *(5) Postgraduate Diploma in Translation Studies in Hindi (PGDTSE) (1year). *(6) Postgraduate Diploma in Human Rights (PGDHR) (1-year). *(7) Postgraduate Diploma in Television Production (PGDTVP) (1 year). *(8) Postgraduate Diploma in Library Automation & Networking (PGDLAN) (1year). *(9) Postgraudate Diploma in Telecommunications (PGDTC) (1-year). *(10) Postgraduate Diploma in Engery Management (PGDEGM) (1-year). Eligibility: * For (1-7), (10): Graduation in any discipline. * For (8): Graduation in Library Science. * For (9): Graduation with Mathematics of Physics as subject. Application Form: Send Rs 150/- by crossed DD in favour of “The Finance Officer, University of Hyderabad” on any nationalised bank payable at Hyderabad, to the Asst. Registrar (DE). Engineering Jan 11 Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai 600036. * Joint Entrance Examination — 1999 (JEE-99), for admission to Undergraduate courses at IIT, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Guwahati, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai; Institute of Technology-BHP, Varanasi, and Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. Exam: on May 8 & 9, ‘99. Eligibility: * Pass in 10+2 or 3-4 year diploma. Those expecting to pass one of the above exams before Sept. 30, ‘99 may also apply. Application Form: Send Rs. 500/- (Rs. 250) for SC/ST) by DD drawn on any nationalised bank in favour of the “Chairman, JEE, IIT-Chennai” payable at Chennai along with two self- addressed slips. In Bangalore, Forms are also available at Canara Bank branches at: * 19/7, Cunningham Road Branch, Banglore-52. * 38 & 39, V” Cross Road, Malleswaram Branch, Bangalore-3. * Last date for receipt of postal request for Forms: 4 Jan., ‘99. * Last date for issue of Forms at bank counters 11 Jan., ‘99. Fashion Technology Jan 5 National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) (Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India), Karnataka State Cooperative Marketing Federation Building, No. 8, Cunningham Road, Bangalore. * NIFT admission — 1999. Selection Procedure: Entrance exam on 6 & 7 Feb., ‘99. Application Form: Rs 150/- by DD at counter. Government Jobs Life Insurance Corporation of India, Central Office, Yogakshema (7th Floor), Jeevan Bima Marg, Mumbai 400021. *Recruitment of Actuarial Apprentices. Eligibility: * 18-25 years as on I Dec., ‘98 (relaxable up to 28 years for OBC and 30 years for SC/ST). * Graduation/postgraduation with Mathematics or Statistics as Main Subject with 60% aggregate or graduation/postgraduation in Commerce with statistics/actuarial science as major subjects with 60% aggregate (10% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC). Selection Procedure: Written test, interview, medical examination. Test on 14 Feb., ‘99. Application Form: See Employment News dated 5-11 Dec., ‘98. Jan 11 Food Corporation of India, Post Box No. 66, New Delhi, GPO, New Delhi 110001. * Recruitment of Management Trainees at the level of Assistant Managers. * (1) Asstt, Manager (Genl.). * (2) Asstt. Manager (A/cs). * (3) Asstt. Manager (Movt.). * (4) Asstt. Manager (Tech.). * (5) Asstt. Manager (Depot). Eligibility: * For (1), (3) & (5): Graduation. * For (2): CA/AICWA/ACWA (London)/ MBA (Finance). * For (4): Graduation in Agriculture or graduation in Science with Diploma in Food Technology. Selection Procedure:
Written test, group discussion and interview. |
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