Mockery of Mock Tests: Students panic as glitches mar Mock OBE
The mock tests for the online open book exams which were to be conducted from today has turned out to be a mockery indeed. The DUTA is inundated with panic mails from students who have nowhere to address their queries and get solutions and are turning to their teachers.
First of all, students were not clear from the beginning why 15 papers were listed and what were they supposed to be. No explanation could be found in the notices put up by DU and students’ queries went unanswered. Today, when the students tried accessing the site many got strange messages like wrong email id, though it was the same id used in the form they filled up and earlier received communication from the university. Some other students didn’t get the onetime password (OTP) to access the site. Many students who managed to access the site found that of the 37 question papers slotted, not even a single question paper belongs to their course. For example, there was no question paper for Economics (Honours) students. The only economics papers available were for Annual System. The annual system was last taught in 2013 for regular courses and there aren’t even repeaters now, because the span period is over. Thus to upload an annual system paper is a real mockery. If the idea was to upload anything unrelated to the subject just to check uploading and downloading process, what was the need to create 37 different papers?
In the Step-by-Step Guide for using the DU Portal for Open-Book Examination it is written “The question papers given for mock test are only indicative and may not be taken a version based on real OBE”. But for something to be indicative it must at least approximate the real, at least the paper should indicate about the nature of choices or the internal pattern of the paper. If that is also not provided, what is the meaning of these mock tests, in the first place? The students are under tremendous stress and the said 4 out of 6 pattern of the question paper (without parts) has created so much uncertainty and doubts in the students’ mind because it totally deviates from the normal pattern of question papers in most courses. If DU cannot even give them an assurance of the broad structure of the paper in these mock tests, it is indeed a cruel joke that the university authorities are playing with the students.
Complaints are also pouring in of inability to download papers and upload them as per the site requirement. Uploading answer scripts has equally been an ordeal for many, with repeated timeout errors. The DU website has crashed many times today and students fear that it would be the same story on the day of the actual examination.
It is shocking that there is no clear indication on the website as to whom the student should approach to get answers. They are turning to their teachers who are equally harassed and at sea.
At every stage, students have faced uncertainty and confusion. The exams were postponed citing COVID situation. That has not changed. Further, the new date-sheets had so many errors that it shows complete lack of preparedness and total inefficiency by DU. It is high time they recognize that and accept the overwhelming demand for cancellation of OBE, without subjecting students to more anxiety and stress. The DUTA strongly condemns the incompetent University administration and demands that the University stops playing with the future and career of lakhs of students and cancels the OBE in the interest of the physical and mental wellbeing of students.
The DUTA also strongly denounces the callous attitude of the UGC and the MHRD for inordinately delaying the release of guidelines and for putting students through this ordeal. The DUTA demands the immediate scrapping of the OBE and relief to students from unnecessary stress in these already distressing times.
| Rajib Ray President, DUTA Rajinder Singh Secretary, DUTA |
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