Hindustan Times, 24.10.2012

Delhi University’s (DU) examination branch is all set to revamp the process of correcting papers.

Starting this semester, the department will ensure that at least three professors are involved in the evaluation process of every packet of papers that is sent to them.

“With effect from this semester, we will ensure that a panel of three members verifies ever packet of answer scripts. The three members will divide the checking for a particular packet of answer scripts among themselves to ensure that there is no discrepancy in correcting papers,” said a senior DU official, requesting anonymity.

Yet, this measure is an indirect mechanism to curb the number of re-evaluation or rechecking requests that the examination branch has to cope with every semester.

“We are doing this to assure students that corrections are done in a fair and thorough manner. We receive a lot of requests for re-evaluation and rechecking and this method of correcting papers should hopefully reduce the number of those requests,” the official added.

Teachers in the varsity, however, said every student had the right to question the evaluation process. While such experiments are welcome, they said that the administration needs to up its ante and take responsibility for failures too.

“A student has the right to question the re-evaluation method and seek corrective measures. Whether a paper is checked by one examiner or 10 examiners is beside the point. What matters is fairness and not the number of examiners. The university should take responsibility for various such experiments and take a re-look if the experiment fails,” said Sanam Khanna, professor of English, Kamla Nehru College.

While this is becoming a deterrent mechanism to prevent students from applying for re-evaluation, students said such measures were unfair.

“The university has already put in deterrent measure so that fewer students access their answer scripts because students who want to do so have to pay Rs. 750 per paper. This is unfair since students who are well to do will be able to access their papers,” said Udit Bhatia, an alumnus of St Stephen’s College.