The pandemic has disrupted not only academics in our schools and colleges but fair assessments of their performance as well. Several acts of omissions and commissions akin to canon laws, have pushed the hapless students to knock the doors of the highest Court for justice. These examinations are the gateway for professional colleges in Medicine, Engineering and Technology. If they are held in an environment of inadequate infrastructure and mistrust, they will do no good to anybody. If they are not held or postponed inordinately, the students stand to lose a year. A true Hobson’s choice. The Courts have adjudicated and the examinations will be held. In that backdrop several students have chosen to protest. Are these nationwide protests demanding cancellation of NEET and JEE exams justified? Yes and No seem to be the response to this vexatious question that is tearing apart the fabric of a society that prides in providing good education to its children at all costs and amidst all odds. Let’s examine both.
Probably ‘Yes’, from a student’s perspective since there are genuine concerns of safety. The government may take care of the in-class environment. Would it able to guarantee effective transportation, and assure safety outside the class room? Covid cases have not even peaked yet. More the testing, more the cases reported. Though there is relief in the strict lockdown rules, the situation on the ground is far from normal. For example, the life-line in Mumbai, the local trains that connect the suburbs are yet to start and remain suspended. If this be the fate of the maximum city, it remains a subject of imagination in rest of them. The fear of infections still rules the minds all over the country. Examinations and assessments must promise a fair opportunity to everyone. If that cannot be assured why hold them? Anyway, it appears that a loss of a year is to be endured even if exams are held in September. The entire dynamics of assessment and declaration of results is a massive process. Then comes an elaborate admissions process.
Probably ‘No’ since several students especially from urban localities, would feel understandably peeved for they would look at it as a possible loss of a year. It is another matter that the professional colleges will support the conduct of exams, for they see a loss of revenue, if exams were not held or if the admissions are delayed. All of the seats may not fill as a consequence that could result in revenue loss over four years.
Should the Government then postpone the exams? Rather than discuss postponing the exams, alternatives must be explored. A certain data normalizing algorithm could be used on XII scores which then could be used for admissions this year. In a Min-Max Normalization of data, linear transformation is performed on the original data. Minimum and maximum value from data is fetched and each value is replaced according to a formula. At least a year could be saved if this be done. In jurisprudence law, it is said, if injustice is equally done or in equal measure, to everyone, that also is justice. One has to weigh the available options both in terms of risks and benefits. Research suggests that if you take part in deciding what you ought to get and actually get, you’re likely to recover more quickly than if you don’t take part in decisions.
What may happen if examinations are conducted this year? Remember, the issue is not just the Covid-19 crisis but also monsoon season all across the country. We know the havoc it played in several States. Unfortunately, the mayhem continues. The Northeast floods have been devastating. Yes, if everything goes right, the exams could provide a fair opportunity to all concerned. However, since the examinations are sought to be held in uncertain times, they may prove heavily in favour of urban students. Rural students may be severely disadvantaged since the boundary conditions are not the same for both the groups. It could even result in several students unable to reach the exam centres either because of poor transportation or none at all. Besides there is always a risk of students falling sick during the pandemic which may not be notified or reported for fear of missing out on exams. This may actually cause wider spread of the pandemic.
Having seen both sides of the argument, are there solutions/remedies for the government and the students that they could opt for amidst the crisis? There are not one, but three options if only we would be open, caring and discerning for it is not as if the pandemic had given no notice.
Conduct of NEET, JEE should have been planned for conduct in an online mode with completely objective questions. It can be done even now. It certainly could be a serious concern that the availability of devices and bandwidth in certain areas are far from satisfactory. That is where services of BSNL and other agencies should come on board. The government must reach sanitised mobile vans with access points within and at predesignated places for those who have no PC’s or smart phones. There are some very robust online examinations and assessments solution providers in the country. These solutions are customisable, scalable, secure and are feature rich. Further they have anti cheating technologies built in that allow AI based proctoring, human based proctoring with live and recorded monitoring of exams, secure browsers that disable websites and software and allow candidate authentication that verifies through OTP, e mail and ID proof. Their services should be taken. The best part is that the assessments are immediate and result processing is completed in a couple of days. Only a crisis tests the mettle of everyone including the government. We have a government that is strong in mettle and in commitment too.
Another possible solution is the data normalisation algorithms used on XII marks which then are used for admissions without conducting common tests. If this be still not convincing, a third possibility emerges where an average of X and XII marks or a set weight of each and then averaged could be used on a data normalised basis for admissions this year. We need innovative solutions in these uncertain times. This one time, let’s take the bull by the horns and make a plan and go for it.