The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the University Grants Commission to clarify if final year examinations can be conducted based on multiple choice questions, assignments and presentations, PTI reported. The court was hearing a petition filed against the Delhi University’s decision to hold open book exams for final year undergraduate students during the coronavirus outbreak.
Justice Prathiba M Singh asked the UGC to explain its guidelines issued in April, which mentioned the type of examinations that can be held by a college. The UGC argued that that the guidelines do not permit internal assessment for evaluating final year students as it puts credibility of the system at stake. “When people take assignments home, sanctity is not maintained,” it added, according to Bar and Bench.
The counsel for the petitioner submitted that that open book exams will be troublesome for the students, adding that many colleges have opted for multiple choice questions and other formats.
“Imagine the number of writ petitions that are going to come here due to number of reasons after OBE in August,” the court said. “DU will be struggling with it for years. I think administration has collapsed and students are suffering.”
The central regulatory agency said whether the Delhi University wants to conduct multiple choice questions is upto them. “MCQ can be done,” it added. “It is allowed. Globally, several exams are MCQ based.”
The court will hear the matter next on July 24.
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