KTU forgoes exams for junior semesters, final sem BTech students to take exams online

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Technological University has finally decided to conduct college level online examination for final semester B.Tech students and accepted the academic committee's suggestion to forgo examinations for all junior semester classes.
The university syndicate that met virtually over video conference on Wednesday took the decisions. Uncertainties regarding B.Tech final semester examinations had been a nightmare for thousands of students, especially those who got campus placement.
As per the syndicate decision, final semester examinations would be conducted under the aegis of individual institutions, making use of online facilities. All students can take the exam from the comfort of their home. ``Examination would be conducted in such a way that candidates will have to answer a set of questions within a prescribed time period. The university would be putting in place a set of arrangements for the valuation of final semester. The marks obtained by students through online examination would be subjected to a normalization process. This would keep the marks analogous to the past performance of the students'', higher authorities in the university said. The detailed procedure for institution level online examination would be notified by the universities in another few days
For junior semester students, the university would follow the UGC recommendations and per which candidates pursuing junior semesters would be awarded marks as per the average grades they had obtained in the past. The 100 marks thus given would be normalised against the internal marks out of 50. Scores would be out of total 150 marks and as per the syndicate decision, they would also be eligible for five percent moderation marks.

If any student later feel she/he was assessed poorly in the new evaluation process the university was forced to adopt, they would be free to cancel the same and write the examinations when the university conducts it later. Such an option would only be applicable for second, fourth and sixth semester students. However, second semester students would be given a chance to improve the marks of any of the two subjects.
The university, though beset with different opinions, has decided to conduct college level examinations for final semester students as it would go in line with the UGC guidelines. ``We are making these arrangements on an emergency basis as inordinate delay in the conduct of examination would detrimentally affect the career prospects and higher education chances for a large number of KTU students. In case there are students who are not satisfied with these ad hoc evaluation systems being rolled out, they can opt for the university level examinations scheduled for September. Supplementary examinations would be held depending on the prevalence of Covid-19 in the state'', KTU vice chancellor M S Rajasree said.