Few takers for Anna University’s online exam proposal

Sources at the university said the institution would partner with a private firm to conduct online exams for its final year students, which came after University Grants Commission (UGC) asking institutions not to cancel exams for final year students.

Raising serious doubts about the move, the head of IT department at a deemed-to-be university in the city outskirts said conducting exams would be very difficult, as each candidate should be equipped with a high-tech computer and high-speed internet connection and invigilators with artificial intelligence software to monitor and prevent any malpractice. “The computer should have the latest operating system like Windows-10, which will work only for licensees,” he pointed out.

The AI software should be able to monitor the student’s activities while attending exams, the software engineering professor said. “If the students try to copy, the software should immediately end the online session and those students should be debarred,” he explained. The one constraint is that an examiner would be able to monitor only 20 students from his computer or laptop monitor at a time.

Online tests would be effective only if the questions are objective type. “How can the engineering students draw diagrams or enter formulas online,” wondered the professor. S Thiyagarajan, a software engineer with a multi-national IT company in Chennai, said even if the institutions provide all the equipment, getting uninterrupted internet connection would be a challenge. Prof E Balagurusamy, former vice-chancellor of Anna University, said online exams would not be successful and raised doubts about the efficacy of engaging private IT firms since several hundred students would attend the examinations simultaneously. “The proposal by Anna University is just a formality to get funds from the UGC,” he criticised.

R Dhamothran, president, Joint Action Council of College Teachers, Tamil Nadu said more than 70 per cent of students were using mobile phones to attend online classes. “Many in remote areas are not able to attend classes due to poor internet connection. So online exams will not work,” he said.

Professor M Venkatesan, Controller of Examinations, Anna University, said online exams would be held only after government approval. “If the students do not have gadgets and internet connection, they will have to come to the campus and appear for exams in person,” he said.