ANALYSIS OF REPLIES OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE
 

National Council of Educational Research and training New Delhi 16

December 1970

ANALYSIS OF REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE

With the time available, there were limitations for eliciting public opinion. However, it was felt that a modest attempt in this direction is a very necessary element for the success of the delibera- tions of the Committee. Consequently, about two thousand copies of the questionnaire were circulated to selected groups of educationists. In some cases, some of these got together to discuss issues and send one consolidated reply. About 83 sets of replies were received till the end of November 1970. These were analysed and the results of the analysis are presented in this appendix.

The questions in the questionnaire are capable of being classified Rao a few broad categories. Such categorisation is furnished in Table 1. Table 2 gives the classification of the respondents on an occupational basis. In what follows, a summary of the analysis is furnished. While furnishing this summary, the main headings as given in Table 1 are used and the question numbers appropriate to the replies discussed are given wherever necessary.

1.Public Examinations

1.1 Need

(Q. I)-About 30% of the respondents feel that public exami- nations are necessary, but with modifications. Over 50% of the respondents in addition to the above have stressed the need for public examination without further elaboration. About 12% of the, respondents feel that there should be no public examinations.

1.2 Frequency

(Q.2)-Over 55% have recommended two or more public examinations at the school stage. But, about 25% are in favour of only one such examination.

(Q. 52)-About 55% are not in favour of two public examinations in a year, while about 25% are positively in favour.

1.3 Forms of Examination

(Q. 3)-Over 80 per cent are of the view that oral questions,

2

observations, etc., should be included in addition to written exami- nations in the evaluation of students.

(Q. 75)-Over 64% feel that at least some of the questionpapers in the higher examinations should be of the open-book type. Among those who have agreed to the suggestion, a quarter of them have given a note of caution.

1.4 Scheduling of Examinations

(Q. 41)-About 42% have agreed with the view that there should be an interval of six to eight weeks between the declaration of results of an examination and the last date for admission to a course for which this examination is a qualification.

(Q. 42)-About 59% are of the view that there should be a general all-India policy for conducting the annual examinations in February/March and declaring the results before the first of May.

(Q. 43)-For implementing a general all-India policy mentioned above, some suggestions were for the inclusion of education in the concurrent list while others recommended the exploration of the possibility of setting up inter-Board/inter-University organisations to realise the objective.

(Q. 60)-About 65% do not agree to the setting of two papers per day.

(Q. 61)-About 34% agree that public examinations should be completed within about a week, while about 30% say that it may take more than two weeks.

1.5 Question Papers

(Q. 59)-About 58% agree to the suggestion that there should be 5 to 8 question-papers only while about 15% have suggested 8 to 12 question-papers.

(Q. 64)-About 52% agree that there should be a very large number of objective type of questions for reducing the margin of error in public examinations, while 31% do not agree with this view. A few persons expressed the fear that the use of objective type of questions may itself give rise to malpractices.

(Q. 65)-About 49% agree to the distribution of questions in examination papers as suggested.

(Q. 66)-About 45% say that suitably trained persons are not available, while about 19% feel that they are available.

3

(67)-About 25% feel that two weeks are enough, about 20% feel that one week is enough and about 22% have suggested 3 to 8 weeks. There are other individual responses varying from 1 hour to 8 months.

(Q. 68)-About 61 of the respondents agree with the view that question-papers at all public examinations must be set by a board of paper-setters and finalised at a meeting of such a board.

(Q. 69)-About 73% agree to the suggestion that model answers should be furnished for each of the questions in a question paper by the board of paper-setters for all examinations up to the first degree level.

(Q. 72)-About 64% of the respondents agree that the design of the question-paper for an examination should be standardized in the same manner as the syllabus and should be made available to the teachers and the students alike.

(Q. 76)-About 24% say that competent persons to set questions to suit open book examinations are available while about 35% expressed a contrary view.

(Q. 77)-About 82% agree to the suggestion that there should be a scrutiny of the question papers by the relevant boards of studies.

1.6 Valuation of Answer Scripts

(Q. 36)-While about 24% say that centralised valuation of answer scripts exists in their States, about 55% say there is no such practice in their States.

(Q. 37)-While about 78% have given no response, about 16% have confirmed that the practice A successful.

(Q. 70)-This question has been misunderstood because the clarification that the question-paper would be furnished to the con- cerned teachers after it was administered to the candidates is not made very clear.

(Q. 71)-About 29% agree to the suggestion that the reports of teachers oil question-papers as envisaged in Question 70 should be made available to board of moderators for issuing instructions re- garding moderation while marking the scripts.

1.7 Interpretation of Examination Scores and Grades

(Q. 45)-Only 30% have responded to this question which pertains to the problem of ensuring uniformity in the results of

4

different groups when examinations for each group are conducted separately. The suggestions include moderation of papers and results, introduction of objective type of papers, a re-examination of all first-divisioners, etc.

(Q. 46)-The need for normalization of Question 45 is considered necessary by about 25%, while about 22% say it is not necessary.

(Q. 47)-About 38% are in favour of assigning grades, while about 32% do not agree to the suggestion.

(Q. 48)-About 64% have not responded to this question on the fineness of the grading system. Those who have responded have suggested various scales, viz., 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, etc. A suggestion has also been made that the grading should be supplemented by giving actual marks above 69%.

(Q. 49)-While 36% are in favour of giving an over-all grade in an examination, 28% are not in favour of it.

(Q. 50)-About 46% fed that an over-all grade is not at all necessary, while only 25% are in favour of it.

(Q. 51)-About 60% have agreed that it is wrong to declare the result of a student on the basis of single examination, while about 30% feel that there is nothing wrong in such a process.

(Q. 56)-About 29% are in favour of uniform rules for condonation by taking into amount Me good performance in certain subjects.

(Q. 57)-Only 28% have responded to this question. A variety of answers including the basing of condonation on the aggregate marks am furnished,

(Q. 58)-About 70% feel it A wrong to make a student waste an entire year became of a small deficiency of marks in a couple of

1.8 Malpractices, and Law and Order Problems

(a) Malpractices in Examinations:

(Q. 4)-As reported, attempts are made to get questions set in question-papers from paper setters, translators, press, centre superintendents and others. Quite often We servants employed in Al Mew places am made use of. In addition, expected questions together with answers to them, etc., become available. Students generally

5

smuggle chits containing answers to expected questions, etc. There is also a tendency to purchase the supervisors and invigilators so that malpractices could be indulged in during the examination. The teachers who take private tuition often abet in such malpractices. In some cases, there are contracts guaranteeing to pass a student through foul means. Parents are guilty of extending patronage to corrupt teachers and examiners and encouraging malpractices by their wards. Stricter control in the examination process including careful selection of paper setters and the transmission of blank answer books could be useful. Decentralisation of large-scale examinations and granting autonomy to schools and colleges are good remedies.

(Q. 5)-About 73% have reported that copying from books, papers, chits and other material smuggled into the examination hall is the most common. Consultation with others, sending question papers outside and getting smuggled answer books back, impersonation, use of loud-speakers, forcible entry of outsiders, invigilators dictating answers are not uncommon. Teachers writing answers on black boards in examination halls or allowing outsiders to assist candidates or allowing exchange of answers books, etc., are also common.

(Q. 6)-About 32% have said that very rich examinees are very largely responsible for corrupting the administration.

(Q. 8)-About 88% have confirmed that there are malpractices after the examination. Candidates or their parents or their agents get the names of examiners, induce them to change marks or permit them to write answers in new answer-books, etc. The only remedy would be to raise the moral tone in our educational network. However. stricter control streamlining the transmission and return of answer books, collecting answer books at a centre and getting them examined by calling all the examiners are possible remedies.

(Q. 9)-About 90% agree with the view that the increase in malpractices in public examinations in recent years is largely due to the importance attached to marks for attainment to professional ins- titutions and for employment.

(Q. 10)-About 75% hold the view that the administration con- cerned with the conduct of examinations is also responsible for the malpractices.

(Q. 11)-About 49% feel that malpractices are more in practical examinations than in written examinations.

6

(Q. 29)-No. definite conclusion can be drawn about the response to this question which relates to the frequency of reports of leakage of question-papers.

(Q. 35)-About 57% are not in favour of decentralisation of examination. But they plead for higher standards of honesty and integrity in the conduct of examinations. About 14% are in favour of decentralisation.

(Q. 83)-About 78% agree that malpractices have increased during the last 10 years and given various causes for the same.

(b) Law and Order Problems:

(Q. 13)-About 53% have not responded. About 32% have said that law and order problems arise only partly out of malpractices.

(Q. 26)-About 24% agree with the view that the breakdown of law and order arises mainly in large-scale examinations. About 46% do not hold such a view.

(Q. 27)-About 55% have not responded to this question. But 15 individuals who have replied to the questionnaire have given specific incidents pertaining to the breakdown of law and order.

(Q. 28)-About 46% have not responded to this question. About 24% have claimed positive knowledge of cases of breakdown of law and order due to either defective question-papers or improper arrangements for the conduct of the examination.

1.9 Internal Assessment, etc.

(Q. 12)-About 73% feel that entire internal assessment without external moderation or checks and balances may prove farce. However, many have suggested internal assessment cum moderation, preferably external. Some have suggested the furnishing of results of both internal assessment and public examinations.

(Q. 38)-About 54% have agreed to the view that attention should be paid to extra-curricular activities and that it has gone down in the last two decades.

(Q. 39)-Some have suggested that extra-curricular activities should be viewed as a part of internal assessment and organised sys- tematically giving more time to such activities and providing better facilities.

(Q. 40)-About 72% have agreed to the suggestion that some

7

credit for good performance in extra-curricular activities must be given in public examinations or, at least, the excellence of a student in such activities should come up for mention in the certificates issued by a Board or a University.

(Q. 53)-About 83% have expressed the view that internal assessment should be by the concerned teachers only.

(Q. 54)-About 62% have expressed the view that the results of internal assessment should be given along with the results of public examinations.

(Q. 55)-About 46% have said that the performance of a student in an internal assessment could form a basis for condoning deficiencies in public examinations.

(Q. 81)-About 38% have agreed with the view that the interest of teachers could be enhanced if they are made directly responsible for examining the students and declaring their results.

(Q. 82)-About 62% feel that the objectives of Question 81 can be realised by providing internal assessment results in the Board/ University examination certificates.

(Q. 88)-About 68% feel that the results of internal assessments should be taken into account in declaring the results of public exami- nation.

1.10 Special Legislation

(Q. 7)-About 60% feel that there is need for legislation to, make certain offences connected with examinations cognizable. But a few of them are doubtful of the outcome as they feel the enforcement problem is difficult. Academically some feel that this should be resorted to only when other methods fail.

1.11 Recruitment to Services and Admission to Professional Courses

(Q. 21)-More than 60% agree with the suggestion that the State/Central Public Service Commissions should conduct tests and examinations for recruitment to the services at all levels.

(Q. 22)-About 68% have not responded to this question.

(Q. 23)-About 36% feel there will be no difficulty in arranging for tests, etc., for admission to professional institutions while 20% feel otherwise. The rest have not answered this question.

(Q. 24)-About 34% feel that there may be no difficulty in

8

legislating for declaring the results in grades, while about 7% feel that there could be some difficulty. The rest have not responded to this question.

1.12Administrative Aspects

(Q. 44)-About 48% have not agreed to decentralisation of examinations, while about 20% have agreed to the suggestion.

(Q. 78)-About 34% agree to the suggestion that public exami- nation should be conducted in places where the students studied so that they are supervised and controlled by the teachers who know them. About 36% do not agree with such a view.

(Q. 79)-About 34% agree that separate examinations should be conducted for ex-students and correspondence course students, while about 39% do not subscribe to this view.

1.13 Representation of Government on Boards and University Syndicates, etc.

(Q. 33)-About 50% have said that Government have adequate representation.

(Q. 34)-More than 60% have not replied to this question on the effectiveness of Government representatives in the control and conduct of examinations. About 20% have given a variety of reasons for their being not effective. Some feel that Government representatives cannot take any interest because they have too much work.

1.14 Financial Aspects

(Q. 30)-About 50% have not replied to this question, while 40% feel that universities are not hard pressed for funds.

(Q. 31)-About 30% say that the Boards have excess of income over expenditure, but more than 60% have not replied to this question.

(Q. 32)-More than 85% have not replied to this question.

1.15 Special Examinations for Talented and Bright Students

(Q. 25)-About 80% feel that there should be such a special examination.

2.Defects of Examinations

(Q. 80)-About 60% agree with the view that the importance

9

attached to the results of public examinations by parents, teachers and the public has undermined the desire for learning and scholarship.

(Q. 84)-About 78% agree to the view that the publishing of guides and running of coaching classes have increased during the last 10 years and given various reasons

(Q. 85)-About 47% agree with the view that the syllabus for public examinations are overloaded and that this is partially respon- sible for cramming by students.

(Q. 92)-About 54% agree with the view that the relevance of the course to the students is completely or almost completely ignored by the framers of the courses.