By Dr. Anita Kanwar
The objective of education has been lost over time to the procedure of examination. The current examination system does not adequately measure the candidate’s true value and intelligence. If the candidate is able to reproduce what is written in the book, he/she scores 100%. When two separate examiners check the same answers, we find a lot of differences —the technique of marking changes considerably between those who are liberal and those who are skilled. The current test method is a game of chance; no security or dependability can be established. To understand our examination system further, the great majority of students who take regional or national board tests are people with varying skills and limitations, as well as diverse methods of thinking and learning. However, in order to score well on the mass-scale board exams at the end of Class 10 or Class 12, they must all fit into the same mould. Because of the mundane questions that are presented, the option of diverse subject clusters offers nothing to foster individual originality. This raises the question of whether the examination system requires repair.
In hindsight, do exam results reflect the quality of a student’s learning? Grades or marks do not truly reflect everything. Students are unable to comprehend the marks or grades that have been issued to them. Mastering the technique of exam writing is one thing, but understanding concepts or gaining information is quite another. For setting educational goals, the validity, reliability, and standardization of the Examination must be revisited.
Academic success has a broader meaning, and examinations are hardly a yardstick for measuring it. The current examination system, which rewards only rudimentary topic knowledge and does not encourage critical thinking or practical knowledge, must be completely revamped.
Our grading system discourages skill growth. It just promotes active memorization, which is utterly worthless in real life. The government must focus on upgrading the examination system to increase the level of talents in all disciplines. The solution is not to eliminate examinations but to improve the way the assessment is created. An exam that is well-designed will examine knowledge application to real-world scenarios, knowledge synthesis across subtopics, critical thinking abilities, and the ability to solve well-defined issues within a subject.
All said & done; Exams are surely crucial, but so is the assessment. It is critical, but it should take place on a regular basis, utilizing a variety of techniques to assess the various strengths and talents of students. Participation in class, presentations, essays, spot quizzes, interviews, peer evaluation, and assignments should all contribute to the final report. Many essential intangibles cannot be examined or measured. Let no single mass examination define a student’s future. Only a creative, imaginative, and immediate action to build meaningful and compassionate methods of assessing students can cease harming and instead promote their innate gifts.
The preceding debate should make it evident that examinations in India require substantial change, and it should also be acknowledged that examination reforms have the potential to lead to educational reform. To overhaul the examination system, educational institutions must consistently strive for excellence and devise innovative ways. This may be accomplished through the organization of workshops, training sessions, refresher courses, and, most importantly, the development of an advanced work culture. Exam reform will achieve very little unless it is backed by other fundamental reforms, such as improved teacher training, instructor quality, and teacher-student ratio. Make the curriculum and textbooks more relevant, entertaining, and future-ready as well.
The journey that society is on, the post-pandemic scenario we are now in, is the outcome of a traditional educational system. We need to start over. Begin without restrictions, with a blended curriculum, without rigidity, with not just the textbooks, without a top-down approach, and without.
(The author is Principal, VESASC. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
