“Exam Reforms” to overhaul CHSE Examination System

Bhubaneswar, 8th Aug, 2013: The recommendations to reform the examination system were discussed and deliberated widely in different forums. Suggestions were invited in the official website and about 70 suggestions were received, which were critically analyzed by the members of “Examination Reforms Committee”. Besides, a number of workshops were held in this regard subsequently; the proposals were reviewed by Higher Education Department on the pros and cons of all these points.

Orissa-CHSE-Results-2013As decided in the meeting taken by D.C.-cum-A.C.S., the recommendations would be taken up in two phases. The first phase will be implemented from the current session i.e.2013­14.The existing practices and the proposed reforms are given below in the tabular form.

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(A)      First Phase Reforms:

 

Sl. No

Existing Practices

Proposed Reforms

1 Selection of Examination Centre

Presently, the Examination Centres are selected by the Council and the Council has been selecting examination centre in as many as 1070 colleges. Question Papers (QP) are sent from the Council Office to all 1070 centers without proper safety and security. The Question Papers are transported by the Council staff to all these Examination Centers by hired vehicles without security. The QPs are also stored in the colleges without proper security. This has resulted in less safety of QPs which gives scope to manipulation and leakage of QP.

 

It is decided that the Council would declare) only 200 colleges as “Examination Management Hub(EMH)” where QPs shall stored. All other Examination Centers be declared by the Council would tagged to the EM Hs. A District Level Committee consisting of Collector, S. Deputy Secretary of the respective zone and maximum 04 Principals of colleges the district would select these 200 EMH The EMH will be selected on the basis infrastructure, manpower etc. and the proximity to the Police Station.

 

2 Preparation of Answer Books(A/B)

Presently, the A/Bs are stapled by pins. Additional A/Bs are supplied to the students on demand. This has resulted in manipulation of A/Bs by unscrupulous students in connivance with the unscrupulous staff. Sometimes, papers of the A/B are replaced.

 

It is decided that the A/Bs will be .three stitched and the number of pages original A/B would be 32. No addition A/B would be given to the students during examination. In this process, a student cannot open the A/B and insert addition, papers at a later stage. Students will have to accommodate all the answers within the given number of pages.

 

3 Preparation of multiple set of Question Papers

Presently, out of 3 sets of model questions, only one set is finalized by the Controller of Examination for the examination. Another set is kept ready and .in case of leakage of QPs, the same is used. It has been found that in some examination centres, the candidates in connivance with the staff get scope to indulge in copy because the questions are similar and are placed uniformly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was decided to have one set of QP in which questions would be jumbled at random and set in four series, A,B,C and D. This will help to eliminate unfair means adopted by the unscrupulous elements of the examination centres. This would be introduced from the Examination Year 2013-14.

 

 

4 Printing of Question Papers(QP)

Presently, the questions are printed in the printing press confidentially selected by the Council Questions of different denominations are packed by the press and sent to the Council and the Council sends them as per the requirement of the examination centre.

 

 

In the proposed reform, Centre-wise 01 packets shall be prepared by the printing press as per the requisition of the council The printing press will prepare the QP am seal the questions of different subjects centre-wise and seal them. Further, the sealed question packets would be earmarked on the basis of the requirement of each hub. The QP would not be handled            in the Council office under any Circumstances. The Controller of examination would be responsible for packing and sealing the question papers centre-wise and Hub-wise at the Printing Press, also sending the question to the Hub and from Hub to the Examination Centre. The strong room of the Council, where the question packets would be stored, would be declared as temporary Treasury by following due procedures. (CTV would be installed for 24 hours surveillance of all activities of the strong room. All the EMHs would be under 24 hours surveillance by CCTV camera.

 

 

 

5 Despatch of QP

Presently, the QPs are directly handed over to the examination centres from the Council office before two days of the examination.

 

 

In the present reform, the OP shall be dispatched from the Council to EMH two days before the examination and from EMH, the QPs would be sent to the respective Examination Centre with full security on the day of examination between 7 AM to 9 AM. In this process, the security of questions would be ensured by the Council. Under no circumstances, the question packets would be transported from Council to the EMHs and from EMH to Examination Centers without full security. The EMHs would be declared as temporary Treasury under due procedures of law.
6 Opening of QP and sealing of Answer Sheets (A/S}

In the present system, the QPs are opened and signed in presence of Centre Superintendent and Invigilators and after the examination is over, the A/S are sealed in presence of Centre Superintendent only.

 

 

The QPs shall be opened and signed by the, Centre Superintendents/ Deputy Centre Superintendents & representative of district administration and similarly, the answer papers shall be sealed In the presence. In this process manipulation of QPs and A/Ss would be eliminated

 

7 Collection of Answer Sheets

At present, the sealed answer sheet packets are sent from the Examination Centres to the Valuation Centre directly through Post Office’. Sometimes, the Examination Centres do not deposit the A/S in the Post Office on time. Sometimes, Post Offices in connivance with unscrupulous elements delay despatch the A/S to valuation centres under different pretext with ulterior motive.

 

 

 

 

After the examination is over, the sealed answer sheet (A/5) packets shall b collected by EMH officials and they will send the same to the Post Office located a1 the place, where the EMHs are situated under insurance coverage. This will help eliminate manipulation of A/S.

 

8 Valuation of Answer Sheets

Presently, 1 Chief Examiner, 6-7 Asst. Examiners and 1 Scrutinizer are appointed for 1000-1200 answer sheets

 

 

 

In the reform structure, for every 2400 answer sheets, 1 Chief Examiner, 1 Deputy Chief Examiner, 2 Asst. Examiners and 2 Scrutinizers shall be appointed. The Assistant Examiners shall be divided into 4 groups to examine the answer sheets of four different series. In addition to the existing revaluation of 10% of A/5 allotted to the Assistant Examiners, the Chief Examiner shall examine the answer scripts awarded 90% marks and above and the Deputy Chief Examiner shall re-examine the fail cases securing 25% marks and above. In this process, the rationality in valuation can be maintained.

 

 

9 Collection of Valued Answer Sheets

As per present practice, the valued answer sheets are packed in gunny bags and kept in the valuation centres for 3 to 4 months.

 

 

 

All valued answer sheets would be collected from the valuation centre soon after the valuation is over and kept in the’ council for meeting any discrepancy that may arise after publication of the results. Storage of valuation answer sheets in the colleges for 3 to 4 months occupy a large space in the college building, as a result, the academic activities are affected. This can be overcome by collecting the answer sheets soon after the valuation is over.

 

10 Re-addition Of marks

 

Presently, photocopies of the answer sheets are not retained by the Controller of Examination before rechecking/ re­addition.

 

 

The Controller of Examination shall keep the photocopies of the answer sheet before handing over the same to the examiners for rechecking/ re-addition so that no examiner can manipulate the marks originally awarded on the answer sheets.

 

11 Abolition of ranking

Presently, best 20 in the merit list is published. This gives rise to unfair competition basically among the Self Financing colleges and resultant consequence to indulge in leakage and copy.

 

 

 

 

It is proposed to be abolished (already implemented from AHSE,2013)

12 Appointment of Deputy Center Superintendent

 

Presently, only Centre Superintendent is appointed in all the centres and if the number of candidates in a particular centre exceeds 200, then Deputy Superintendent is appointed.

 

 

 

 

Irrespective of number of candidates appearing on a centre, one Superintendent and one Deputy Centre Superintendent will be appointed in each Examination Centre. In this system, both the Centre Superintendent and Deputy       Centre Superintendent will be responsible for safety and security of the question papers and answer sheets.

 

13 Squading

 

Presently, squading is controlled by the Council. And there are many instances of manipulation of squad to suit the vested interests.

 

 

Squading would be done independently by a Committee consisting of Director, HE as Chairman and representatives of H.E. Deptt. & Council as members. There will be more transparency in squading system.

 

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