How many Flip-flops ?

 

 

Context :

Ø  Computerised or paper: UGC-NET exam flip-flop raises questions …  ET … 02 July 2024

 

Extract :

 

Amid the NEET exam leak controversy, another row has erupted over the University Grants Commission (UGC) switching from computer-based to paper-based National Eligibility Test (NET).

ET gathers the apex higher education body made the format change without a full-strength commission or committee report/recommendations.

 

ET's repeated queries on the issue to the UGC, the education ministry and the National Testing Authority (NTA) did not elicit any response.

 

The UGC-NET, which was conducted in a paper-based format by the UGC since 1989, transitioned to a computer-based test (CBT) format in 2018 when the NTA assumed responsibility for the testing process.

In April 2024, the UGC and NTA abruptly announced that the 2024 edition of UGC-NET will only be held in OMR (pen and paper-based) format. However, a day later, the education ministry cancelled the June 18 OMR test, citing suspected leaks. Ten days later, on June 28, the UGC-NTA announced the "UGC-NET June 2024 cycle examination will now be held in the CBT mode."

Interestingly, none of this flip-flop seems to have been taken up in the UGC Commission through its time-tested process.

Due process at the UGC entails an expert committee that examines all aspects of the subject and makes its recommendation to the whole commission for debate and approval.

ET reviewed all commission minutes since 2022 and found no reference of a committee or panel to review the UGC-NET exam structure or a suggestion to switch from CBT to OMR mode, as was done this year.

ET was also informed by commission members until August 2023 that they were unaware of any such idea or committee. A UGC judgement is usually made after expert committees and the commission deliberate. "No such proposal came in until July 2023," a former member told ET on condition of anonymity.

In the 576th commission meeting on January 16, 2024, the minutes mention the CUET & NET exam but do not indicate a format change.

The truncated commission in place at the January 16, 2024 meeting and all prior sessions before the test format change calls into doubt the level and quality of deliberation on this decision.

The UGC Act, 1956, says the commission must have ten other members besides the chairman and vice chairman and half of the members must be non-governmental.

All UGC's eight non-governmental members (mainly academics) had completed their three year terms by July 2023 and new members were only appointed by the Centre in April 2024.

Accordingly, the January meeting of the commission only had four members present and all of them being government officials, as per the minutes.

Government insiders told ET that the push for the exam format change from CBT to OMR seems to have come at UGC's behest rather than the NTA which conducts the exam. Having experienced technical glitches with the first rounds of CBT-based CUET, the logistical difficulty in finding adequately equipped exam centres and conducting exam through multiple question papers and shifts over days, the UGC is said to have frequently pitched a return to the single-day OMR format exam for UGC-NET.

 

 

My Take :

 

Soon , NTA will have no choice but to “ Copy “ the “ Mock Test “ feature of www.My-Teacher.in

 

Reasons are plenty , viz :

 

Ø  It is a totally FREE service

Ø  It does not require any REGISTRATION-OTP-PASSWORD-LOGIN ( total privacy / anonymity )

Ø  Anyone can generate – and take – any number of mock tests, at any time

Ø  A person can take these tests on her mobile ( just type www.My-Teacher.in , in browser )

 

 

{ NTA may want to take note of this – UNIQUE papers for all 24 lakh students appearing for NEET, on same date, at the same time , in 4700 test centres in 450 cities. All questions of the SAME degree of difficulty – delivered on the computers instantaneously after facial recognition of candidates  }

  

Ø  As soon as a student “ selects “ one of the 4 options for the FIRST question and SUBMITS, result is announced

Ø  If the option selected was RIGHT, instant feedback reads “ CORRECT “, giving reasons

Ø  If the option selected was WRONG, instant feedback reads “ INCORRECT “,giving detailed explanation

Ø  This is the PROGRAMMED LEARNING , at its best ( make mistake and learn at once )

Ø  As soon as the student completes answering all 10 questions, she can view her TEST SCORE HISTORY

Ø  A student can SHARE ( Whatsapp ), any “ Test Feedback “ or “ Test Score History “ with friends or teachers

Ø  Feedback is delivered, both as TEXT and in SPEECH ( currently in English but soon in 9 languages )

And this is just a beginning

I urge NTA [ genadmin@nta.ac.in ] officers to check out www.My-Teacher.in  , by end of Oct 2024

Shri Harshit Agarwal [ Joint Director-Exams / harshit.agarwal@nta.ac.in  ]

Col. B Vijay Kumar [ Director – Exams / Vijay.kumar@nta.ac.in  ]

Pradeep Singh Kharola [ Director General – NTA / ps.kharola@nic.in ]

 

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.My-Teacher.in   /  07 Oct 2024