No online tests: KU to promote students on basis of internal assessments

Srinagar: Ending speculations, Kashmir University has decided to promote all post-graduate students and the students of select professional under-graduate courses to the next semester based on the performance in the internal assessments.

Earlier this month, the varsity had framed a committee to decide about the exams.

“There will be no term-end examinations for current and previous semesters the way we used to have in the past. The students will be promoted to the next semester after evaluating marks of their internal assessments,” a varsity official told The Kashmir Monitor.

 “The decision applies to all postgraduate (PG) courses and some specialized under-graduate (UG) course including integrated BA-LLB, BBA and BCA. The decision on other UG courses that are been taught in colleges will be taken separately in consultation with the department of higher education,” he said.

He added that the heads of the departments will decide the mode of internal assessments in consultation with the department committees. Each department will conduct internal assessments whichever way is feasible to them, he added.

The decision was taken given the UGC recommendations to the universities to start the new academic year from September instead of July due to coronavirus and lockdown.

The UGC had also recommended the universities to either hold exams or adopt some mode of assessment based on students’ performance.

Sources said some officials in the university were in favour of online exams.  However, many heads of the departments opposed it due to the internet blockade.

Earlier, Joint Class Representatives Association had sent representation to the university seeking promotion to next semester based on the internal assessments and evaluation of the assignments.

Meanwhile, a senior professor of the Kashmir University said more than 60 percent of students have no access to android phones, laptops, and notebooks.

“We have conducted internal assessments in various departments and found that less than 40 percent of students have android phones and laptops at home. There are students from far-flung areas like Tangdhar, Keran, Gurez, and Machil where there is no internet availability,” he said.