2.5.5 Formative assessment procedure at DDE

The following are the main indicators/highlights of DDE’s policy on Evaluation Methodology;

1. DDE adopts the guidelines issued by the UGC, DEB & NCTE from time to time with regard to the conduct of examinations.
2. Evaluation includes Continuous / Formative Assessment and Summative Assessment.
3. The weightage for formative assessment is 30%. It is counted as Internal Assessment.
4. Formative assessment is done through assignments, project reports, counselling and workshop sessions, presentations, field or school based activities, etc.
5. The weightage for summative assessment or term end examination is 70%. It is counted as External Assessment.
6. The Evaluation scheme of DDE includes home/tutor-marked assignments, contact programmes, workshops and practical sessions to ensure continuous assessment along with semester and year end examination. The marks or grades obtained in internal assessments are shown separately in the grade card.
7. Feedback is provided to the students after all activities.
8. No semester or year-end examination is conducted unless the 75% of the programme of study stipulated for the semester or year have been actually conducted.
9. The University executes the assessment and evaluation through various assessment tools including multiple choice questions, projects, reports, case-studies, presentations and term end examination to suit the different learning outcomes expected of the programme.
10. DDE follows the norms for delivery of courses through distance mode as mentioned in UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017, Annexure VII, Norms for delivery of courses through distance mode, page no.62 (Refer Image no.3).
11. The system of evaluation, for both theory and practical work, is as follows:

Standard operating procedure employed for continuous (Internal) assessment followed by the DDE

The standard operating procedure employed for continuous (internal) assessment followed by DDE is as under;

1. The scheme of continuous (internal) assessment of each and every programme is mentioned in the prospectus, academic calendar and programme guides.
2. Learner Support Centres are informed about the organization of Internal Assessment activities such as; Counselling, Workshop, Practical, Assignment, etc., through academic calendar and emails from time to time.
3. Distance Learners are also informed about the organization of Internal Assessment activities such as; Counselling, Workshop, Practical, Assignment, etc., through academic calendar, website notifications, emails and message alerts as and when required.
4. Learner Support Centres organize the activities as informed by the DDE and required for each and every programme.
5. Students’ performance is evaluated by academic counsellors of Learner Support Centres and marks are sent to the office of Regional / Sub – Regional Centres of DDE located in different parts of the country.
6. Regional / Sub – Regional Centres of DDE then forward the marks of students in internal assessments to the Examination Branch under copy to the DDE.
7. The Examination Branch includes these marks into final mark sheet of students’ along with marks of term-end examination.

• Introduction:

University Grants Commission (UGC), Distance Education Bureau (DEB), National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE), Executive Council & Academic Council of MANUU are the guiding forces of Directorate of Distance Education, MANUU in its academic and administrative endeavours. DDE, MANUU frames all its policies and programmes in the light of guidelines and notifications issued by the aforesaid bodies / authorities. Therefore, Directorate of Distance Education’s policy of Evaluation Methodology is based on the UGC regulations and orders issued by the competent authorities of MANUU.

• Policy of DDE on Evaluation Methodology:

UGC (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017 sheds light on evaluation scheme of Higher Education Institutions. The extracts of the regulations related to evaluation are as under;

Image no. 1: UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017, Part – IV, Admission, Examination & Learner Support, Point – 13, Page no. 48

Image no. 2: UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017, Annexure – II, Quality Monitoring Mechanism, Point – g, Page no. 55

Image no. 3: UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017, Annexure VII, Norms for delivery of courses through distance mode, page no.62

The Academic Council of MANUU in its 27^th Meeting held on 5^th September, 2017 had adopted UGC (Open and Distance Learning) Regulations, 2017 (Item No. 27.3.03). Further, the Executive Council of MANUU in its 63^rd meeting held on 7^th September, 2017 ratified the minutes of 27^th Academic Council (Item No. 63.4 (1)). Therefore, UGC (ODL) Regulations, 2017 is the base of DDE’s policy on Evaluation Methodology. DDE follows the aforesaid regulations in letter and spirit.

NCTE is the statutory body that regulates teacher education in the country. The University adopts the NCTE Norms and Standards as stipulated from time to time. Similarly, the University follows the regulations pertaining to assessment and evaluation for all of its teacher education programmes of regular and distance mode. NCTE Norms and Standards, 2014 also specified the assessment procedure of B.Ed (ODL) Programme. The extract of the aforesaid regulation is as under;

Image no. 4: NCTE Norms and Standards, 2014 for B.Ed (ODL) Programme, Page No. 148