Submitted by MSQURESHI on Wed, 03/03/2021 - 02:30
University Best Practices Best-Practices collapse1
  1. Title of the Practice

Display and Discussion of the Answer Scripts

  1. Objective of the Practice

Showing the answer scripts to the students and holding discussion on answer scripts with them is a practice aimed at one hand, to improve and strengthen the learning experience of the students, and on the other to make evaluation process transparent and accountable. It is expected that upon seeing their answer scripts, the students shall identify their strengths and weaknesses of learning, and discussing these with their teachers shall help them improve their knowledge of the subject, rectify the errors they make and advance their understanding of the subject. This practice is enlivened by the idea that the one who teaches is in the best position to assess and advise, and the one who learned, has the right to know if they learned properly. Connected to this idea are the notions of transparency and learning outcomes. It is believed that the learning outcomes can be measured accurately, through this practice.

  1. The Context

The Academic Council of MANUU in its 32ndMeeting held on 4th October 2018, on the request of student community to make the answer booklet available to them after evaluation, discussed the matter at length and resolved to constitute a Committee to examine the feasibility of making the answer scripts available to students, as part of the examination reforms. (https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/2020-01/32nd%20AC%20Minutes_0.pdf)

The Committee held a meeting on 30th January 2019 in the office of the Controller of the Examination and discussed various issues involved in making the the answer scripts available to the students after the evaluation. The Committee evolved a procedure in this regard, and submitted the minutes of the meeting to the Vice Chancellor on 15th February 2019. The minutes of the meeting were placed in the 34th Academic Council meeting held on 7thMarch 2019, wherein they were approved and the practice was ready to be implemented for the semester examination scheduled in May 2019. (https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/2019-10/Minutes_of_34th_AC_Meeting.pdf)

Subsequently, the time tables for the semester examinations of all the programmes commencing in May 2019 were notified.  


Further, the Committeedecided to discuss the initiative with all the stakeholders of MANUU, particularly with the teaching faculty. Subsequently, a workshop was conducted jointly by Examination Branch, Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and Centre for Information Technology (CIT), with the theme, Examination Reforms on 16th April 2019, and its webcast was made live all across MANUU campuses and Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs) in India. This is followed by a lengthy session of discussion with the faculty (YouTube: https://youtu.be/nlYdanLWalE). 

After the workshop, the issues raised by the teaching faculty of MANUU, were clarified by Examination Branch and IQAC in an orderly way. (https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/MANUU-IC/2021-03/Clarifications.PDF)

MANUU had issued a press release of the workshop and implementation of the system of display of answer scripts to the students. A wide coverage in the press had been given of MANUU’s Examination Reforms. (https://manuu.edu.in/Best-Practices)
 

  1. The Practice

The general dissatisfaction of the students in respect of the marks and the grades that they score is addressed through this practice of showing the answer scripts to them and holding discussion thereof with them. This initiative provides students the opportunity to see what they have written, and how have they been evaluated, and where is the scope for their improvement. 

After conducting the examination, the Examination Branch had sent the answer scripts to the Heads of the Departments for distribution of the answer scripts to the respective teachers who taught the courses. After evaluation, scrutiny and moderation, the teachers were allowed to show the answer scripts to the students and hold discussion with them. The students had been asked to visit the teachers who taught any course to them and see their answer script and seek clarification or suggestion if any. Since one to four days had been allocated for the display and discussion on the answer scripts, the teachers stayed back during the allocated period from morning till evening to show the answer scripts to their students, and discuss and counsel them academically about their performance in the examination and the level of their learning. After seeing the answer scripts and discussing about their performance, the students were required to sign the attendance proforma of display of the answer scripts. When the display and discussion period was over, the teachers entered the marks in their respective iUMS portal, and the answer scripts and the attendance proformas were sent to the Examination Branch. Consequent upon receiving these, the Examination Branch declared the results.  

The moderation boards of all the departments and colleges had taken care to address the issues of scrutiny, and over or under awarding of marks, before the answer scripts made available for the students. 

It has been made clear to all the students that if any of them is not satisfied with the marks awarded to him/her, he/she can approach the Examination Grievance Redressal Committee (EGRC) in the Department which comprises Head, a senior teacher, and the course teacher. Whatever decision the EGRC makes, it is final. Yet again, if the student is not satisfied, then he/she can apply for re-evaluation on payment of prescribed fee after the declaration of routine results.
 

  1. Evidence of Success

The practice had been appreciated by the students. A good number of students showed up to see their answer scripts, as it is evident from the attendance proforma of answer script display. (https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/MANUU-IC/2021-03/FINAL-PG-LIST.pdf)

As the practice of displaying and discussing of the answer scripts commenced from the even/end semester examinations, that is, May 2019, a large number of students had returned to their native places right after the end of the examinations for summer vacations. The evaluation process had been been completed by the scheduled dates notified by the Examination Branch, but the students had booked the tickets with public transportation rather earlier. When the University reopened after summer vacations for the academic session in July2019, those students who had not seen the answer scripts, requested the University authorities that they be provided the opportunity to see their answer scripts. Thus, the University allowed the students to see their answer scripts again from 19th to 21st August 2019 for the semester examinations held in May 2019. This is a strong indicator towards the success of the practice and its implementation. 
(https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/MANUU-IC/2021-03/Circulars-regarding-answer-script-display.pdf)

With the Odd semester examinations held in December 2019, the practice had been more strengthened. (https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/MANUU-IC/2021-03/FINAL-UG-LIST.pdf)

One of the biggest gains of this practice is the assessment of the students in terms of learning outcomes. A paper setter is required to set the paper strictly in accordance with the course objectives and outcomes; then next is evaluation, that is, the examiners are required to value the answer scripts thoroughly, providing comments in the answer scripts pointing the shortcomings and excellence in terms of learning; and finally, when the students show up to see their answer scripts, they are provided sincere academic assessment as to the level of their learning and understanding of the course.
 

  1. Problems Encountered and Resources Required

Though the practice has been conceived and implemented successfully, there were some problems and issues which were required to be addressed for the successful implementation of the practice. Some of these are as follows: 

Apprehensions raised by the teaching faculty before the implementation of the practice:

1) The teachers initially had reservations about the practice. Their apprehension concerned mainly the security of the teachers, in a sense that if a student fails or is not satisfied with the marks, he/she may accuse the teacher of prejudice or bias, or may even harm the teacher physically or mentally. The issue had been addressed through a question answer session in the workshop held on 16th April 2019 (YouTube: https://youtu.be/nlYdanLWalE). 
(https://manuu.edu.in/sites/default/files/MANUU-IC/2021-03/Clarifications.PDF)

However, when the practice was implemented this apprehension did not come true. 

2) Another issue that was raised by the teachers was the evaluation deviation in terms of awarding marks. This is because, MANUU has several campuses and colleges of teacher education (CTEs) and same courses are taught there, and since the pattern of awarding marks differ from teacher to teacher, particularly in languages and social sciences subjects, the maintenance of equal standard becomes difficult. However, the Committee recommended that the question paper setters must provide the key to the questions and an outline of the answers to the subjective questions, which they did, and which were shared with the examiners through heads/principals before the evaluation. The Departments had been asked to develop the rubric for evaluation as well. 

3) The mechanism of displaying of the answer script and discussion itself had been raised as an issue by the teacher. For example, the question was, ‘Is it compulsory for every student to see the answer script?’ The Committee responded that ‘Ideally, it is.’ However, it is the choice of the student. And the attendance proved that not every student saw his/her answer script, on the introduction of this practice. 

4) With respect to the issue whether the discussion should be done individually or in class? It was suggested, that if all the students showed up together, it may be done in class. However, if they come individually, there is no issue, since the period of seeing the answer script has been given from one day to four days, taking into account the nature of the programme, and the timing is made quite flexible for the students to see their answer scripts.  

Nevertheless, the experience suggests after the implementation of the practice that most of the students turned up individually or in twos or threes. Therefore, the teacher discussed the students answer scripts with them in their chambers.    

5) After the implementation of the practice, very few teachers reported the cases of the dissatisfaction of the students. The students had been asked in such cases to go for reevaluation. By and large, 99 percent of the students who saw their answer script appeared convinced. 


No financial or other wise resources, other than the available resources in the University are required for the implementation of this practice.  
 

Press Clippings on Answer Script Display

Circulars Regarding Answer Script Display Attendance of the Students witnessing Answer Script: PG Attendance of the Students witnessing Answer Script: UG Attendance of the Students witnessing Answer Script: DIPLOMA Display and Discussion of the Answer Scripts