Amid opposition from a section of teachers, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Academic Council on Friday approved making the entrance examinations to the varsity completely computer-based. The teachers had raised apprehensions that it won’t be ‘financially viable’ and suitable for many courses.
Members, during an hour-long discussion said that this decision will make the admission process fairer, efficient, secure and bias-free.
However, a member of JNU Teachers' Association said that some of the teachers opposed the move saying that the online entrance exams will not be a feasible option for courses under the School of Social Sciences or for Humanities courses.
The online entrance examinations will be outsourced, it will not be a financially viable option at a time when we have been told by the varsity that there is a crunch of funds, said a teacher on condition of anonymity.
Teachers were opposed to online entrance exam system since they had apprehensions about many of the students not being well-versed with computer, she added.
In another ‘student-friendly decision’ to ensure fair and transparent student evaluations in JNU, the Academic Council has made it mandatory for all teachers to show the corrected answer scripts of all exams to the students, before the grades are finalised.
This was the first academic council meeting where the members of the JNU Students' Union were not present, since they were not invited due to an ongoing inquiry against them for an alleged act of indiscipline in the last Academic Council (AC) meeting.
While the JNU had already implemented rules of attendance for students and administrative staff, the 146th AC meeting through its resolution has made attendance mandatory for the teaching community as well, said a statement from the varsity.
The statement added that teachers need to give attendance at least once in a day.
"The AC also approved a rule that during the registration process at the beginning of every semester, all the incoming and continuing students are required to give an undertaking that they will abide by the attendance rules," said a statement.
The Academic Council has also approved the introduction of a two-year MSc degree programme in Mathematics in the School of Physical Sciences.
"A University level time-table will be put in place which will enable the student community to make choices for taking up courses in various schools and also lead to proper time management, and better utilization of available class room space," the statement said.
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