Madurai colleges gear up to hold semester exams online again

MADURAI: Though the November semester exams were put off so that colleges can conduct them in offline mode, colleges are now set to conduct the exams in online mode instead even as they are allowed to reopen for offline classes in February. Students are relieved that the exams will finally be conducted smoothly without further delays so that classes for the next semester can be started.
“We were nervous when it was announced that colleges will be reopened for offline classes from February but thankfully the exams are to be held in online mode.We cannot afford any more delays and the shift to a sudden offline exam would have been off-putting for us. Later, if offline classes are conducted again we can write the next semester exams in offline mode,” said S Visalakshi, a final year student at an arts and sciences college in Madurai. Colleges and universities, including Madurai Kamaraj University, have already made preparations for holding the online exams.
Dr D Pandiaraja, principal, Thiagarajar College of Arts and Science, said that online exams will be held as proctored online exams. “Students will be writing their exams from their homes. However, they will have to write the exam while switching on video throughout the exam. An invigilator will be monitoring and students have to upload their answer scripts online. The original hard copies of the answer scripts will also be allowed to be sent by post,” he added.
However, in most colleges online exams are likely to be held with little or no proper supervision or monitoring. Students have to download question papers once the exam commences and upload the answer scripts after completing it within the given time or send by post. “Online exams are an eye wash and lacks quality. If they are to be conducted in future, a proper and fair system must be created,” said an assistant professor.
M Nagarajan, general secretary, MUTA, said it is good for students this time that there is no confusion by sudden change to offline exams. “Though quality is a major issue in offline exams, students must first have enough offline classes to come out of the mindset of online exams and get back normalcy. Final semester exams, if conducted offline, will be challenging for students,” he added.