Let KU switch back to annual examinations

Amid the ongoing lockdown and uncertainty about future, the Kashmir University (KU) should take a call on scrapping semester system of exams, keeping in view the larger interest of the students.

Since the implementation of the semester system of exams, the university has been seen struggling every year to streamline the calendar of exams which gets affected due to several reasons. Keeping in veiw many factors the semester system was not at all feasible for students. Also, the uncertain political situation at times plays a spoilsport for smooth implementation of the exam calendar.

   

The varsity introduced semester system of examinations for under graduate courses in 2015, replacing annual examination system. This system was adopted by the varsity on guidelines of University Grants Commission (UGC) and was aimed at improving quality of education. But it has proved costly to college students as it has delayed the completion of courses.

Under the semester system students appear twice in exams in a year instead of earlier practice wherein only one exam was conducted annually. The degrees of students got delayed wherein a three year course got stretched to four to five years. The Batch of 2015 under graduate students completed their three year course in almost five years. The students of other batches also had to bear the brunt of the semester system of exams. The new system of exams is yet to get streamlined despite various efforts by the university. We cannot put the entire blame on the university administration for delaying the degrees of the students, as we saw some unusually turbulent times in the recent years.

I don’t blame the varsity administration for delaying the course of students. The situation that evolved during the past years derailed the academic calendar across Kashmir. The educational institutions remained closed for over five months in 2016. The government would often order for closure of educational institutions and postponement of exams as well, which affected the smooth conduct of exams. Last year, the government closed all the institutions from August and were later opened only in a phased manner. The students didn’t attend the classes which ultimately delayed the conduct of exams.

The Government of India (GoI) imposed covid19 lockdown in March this year, but the J&K was facing a challenging situation post August 04 last year, when GoI revoked reorganized J&K.

While J&K was struggling to get back to normal, the ongoing pandemic hit the globe and forced the authorities to impose a nationwide lockdown resulting in prolonged closure of educational institutions. It again affected the UG students whose degrees are getting delayed.

Though the university is struggling to streamline the semester system of exams at college level but due to the challenging situations in Kashmir, things are yet to set right. Technically, the varsity has failed to conduct exams as per the policy of semester system of exams. In 2018 KU decided to combine 5th and 6th semester exams for undergraduate students who were enrolled in colleges during academic year 2016, fearing that students might lose one precious year. The decision to combine the two semester exams was taken as part of damage control exercise to keep the semester scheme rolling in the colleges affiliated with the varsity.

Even recently, the issue was discussed in a meeting and an idea was floated that whether varsity should switch back to the previous annual exams. The college principals who were present in the meeting were informally asked to deliberate on the issue. It was opined in the meeting that the university will not completely wind up the semester system of exams but will conduct two exams simultaneously at the end of the year instead of holding two semester wise exams. But for unknown reasons the issue was shelved and no decision was taken on it.

Semester system of exams calls for very intensive calendar but here the academic calendar often gets derailed and tells upon the students from school to university level. And also due to semester system of exams one and a half months is lost to conducting exam which accumulates to nine months in three years.

Since the introduction of semester system, the conduct of exams has created a mess and proved costly for students as well.

Already, the education minister of Himachal government in 2018 stated that the semester scheme was not suitable for a hilly state like Himachal Pradesh with difficult topography and demographic variations.

Keeping in view the past experience and the situation in Kashmir, the varsity should do away with the semester system of examination. Doing away with semester system of examination will set things right, ease students’ burden as well. Most importantly, it will bring the derailed examination calendar back on track.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

2 × four =