Prof. Kazi Mohammed Main Uddin :
The national university has made some changes in the examination system at the graduate level. The present conventional method of the examination of 100 marks has been divided into two steps. The first step is to evaluate internally in the institutions through taking some tests and the second is to evaluate centrally through taking exams directly controlled by the National University. The first one is of 20 marks; and the second is of 80 marks. The first method has a special name; it is “In- course test.” The contextual meaning of English word ‘In’ is ‘inside’. And the word ‘Course’ is ‘Subject’. Phonetically speaking, the test to evaluate from the inside of the subject is called “In-course” test. Various tests are being taken from the subject within. But perhaps this has been named to understand separately, the first step of exam. However, it is said anyway that the naming is so wonderful. But taking examination, answer scripts evaluation etc have created many questions. For internal assessment, this test is accepted by the departmental teachers of the intuitions. At first, in-course exam is limited to the honours course but later it extends to the pass course. But there is no supervision of the National University regarding this test. So, various colleges have taken the test (incourse exam) according to their wishes. That is why real merit is not being verified. Sometimes it is also seen that the students get the question paper before the test. It is also seen that the students obtained the expected number though they didn’t attend the exams. After passing H.S.C, the young male and female students in our country are generally involved in earning activities. So being absent in the work place, they spend money to get the pass marks illegally rather than taking part in the incourse exam and pass the test with learning. Usually, the employees of higher educational institutions, especially those who work in the computer section, engage in these immoral activities. The teachers of weak higher education institutions give sure questions for incourse exam to the student before the test for good result. The only exception is in the large colleges. So I don’t think this test is a merit test and I see it as an unimportant and unnecessary test. I point out a few aspects in favour of cancelling the in course test:
1) There remains the possibility of result disaster due to in-course exam. At present, there are a total of ten letter grades with 5 (five) marks intervals at National University. The lowest letter grade is ‘F’. The pass marks is 40. The students who obtain under 40 marks are ranked in ‘F’ grade. It is important to note that every paper in the graduate course is conducted in two stages. One is the incourse exam of 20 marks which is directed by national university and controlled by the institution; other is centralized exam of 80 marks which is directly controlled by the national university through by the exam centre. So for evaluation of the student answer scripts per paper, two examiners must have work. As a result, there is a lack of co-ordination in numbering after the evaluation of the answer script. Suppose, two students get 23 and 27 marks out of 80 marks in the exams and in the incourse exam of 20 marks if these two students get gradually 16 and 17 marks. So in the 100 marks exam these two students will obtain 39 and 44 marks. One will fail to acquire certificate and another will fail to acquire E-plain grade (44-49) from D-plain (40-44) grade. For only one mark, there is possible to occur such a problem in each grade. So the result disaster will happen. In order to get rid of this situation the cancellation of the in course exam, may be considered. There will be no problem to make the result, If an examiner are appointed to evaluate the answer script for the same student same paper.
Again, if the letter grade is in the position of 5 number intervals, there may be an opinion that the matter of above crisis is not considered. But there is a demand to education analysts and responsible persons to come to an agreement for the cancellation of the in-course exam by considering above all description.
2) In-course examination is not a test for verifying the merit in the circumstances of our country. Own institutions provides irrational number to their students to increase the passing rate. It can be seen that some students obtain 10 marks on the very brief questions which is made like impersonal questions, through mutual understanding in the exam room. If the students who have participated the examination obtained five marks in 5 brief questions (every question in average 1 mark) and 10 marks in 5 broad questions (every question in average 2 marks), his total number will become 25 (31.25%) in 80 marks paper. By obtaining 15 marks due to in-course exam, these students can be a graduate certificate holder. Could we properly verify his merit? If we notice the percentage of number; the situation is startling. Therefore, it ought to consider it, as an unimportant test and demands to its termination.
3) There is an absurdity of the time in the in-course exam. For the in-course test of 20 marks, duration is 60 minutes or one hour. On the other hand, the central examination of 80 marks, time is given 210 minutes or 3.50 hours. As a result, 270 minutes or 4 hours and 30 minutes time is given for the 100 marks test, which is quite unreasonable. So this 4 hours and 30 minutes time of 100 marks test is not perfect for justifying the merit. It (incourse exam) is very harmful for our education. So the cancellation of in-course exam is more essential for our education development.
4) According to the known information, some colleges have fixed 100 taka for every paper as incourse exam fees. Some colleges have fixed tk 500 for incourse exam. However, different college accepts incourse exam fees in different ways. A student has to pay a fee of Tk 600/Tk 500 for this 20 marks exam, because a student has to participate at least in six papers per year in the exams. It is also refer that some colleges take two incourse exams in every year for additional earning. Education is not an agricultural or industrial product. It is important to come up with a great promise of services.
5) Various times we can know about the sex torture of female students by teachers through the news media. Generally, such incidents can happen if a teacher has remain lack of morality, lack of own religious knowledge and professionalism. At present, there is a prevalence of higher education in our country; and there is a lack of professional teacher in that regard. So it requires intensive judicial analysis that, at what stage will higher education reach.
Awareness society feared the loss of status of female students by focusing on in-course exam.
What is described in the article does not take that into consideration, by realizing what is meant in the article the authority will take action accordingly. This is the expectation of guardians and awareness society.
(Prof. Kazi Mohammed Main Uddin, Teacher of Higher Education and presidium member of Bangladesh College Teachers Association; e-mail: [email protected])
