India is ready to use technology for competitive exams

The debut of the common admission test (CAT) online ended in a fiasco, raising concerns about whether India is eager to use technology for competitive exams. A new details titled Examinations and the Role of Technology: Emerging Guidelines released by Arun Nigavekar, former chairman, UGC, and William G Harris, CEO, Association of Test Publishers, US, reaffirms faith in the use of technology in the Indian examination system.

Failure of CAT should not be compared to the failure of technology in conducting exams. CAT was a nation-wide project which failed at the implementation rank. However, there are various stages in the whole examination process where technology can be used. In fact, 70% of universities in India are now using technology whereas conducting exams.

The report mentions that there are many benefits of using technology like minor cost and wider reach. Faster systems, less number of people, paper free exams will turn into savings and these funds can then be directed towards other purposes. With online exams, students find it easier to apply, as there are lesser restrictions on travel and time. The report indicates that students are positively inclined towards technology.

After the CAT debacle, there were doubts about the future of using technology for exams. But there were no concrete facts to reveal the real perception. Hence, we thought of asking two interest group students and universities. Students were asked about their confidence and university administrators were asked about their willingness to introduce technology to conduct exams.

At a distance from the benefits, the report also mentions limitations of technology while conducting the exam. Concerns about the exam format not being conducive came across as the biggest challenge in the report. Lack of infrastructure and lack of technical expertise emerged as concerns too. Acceptance of online exams for postgraduate courses, where projects, papers, seminars, etc form a major part of assessment, is low. The main challenge is to make online exams. India requirement software technology that can replicate pen paper exams. This format gives me complete freedom to ask students anything. For instance, an engineering student can be asked to derive a mathematical formula. I am not sure if that is possible in an online exam.