The new way of evaluation: Hybrid exams
The Supreme Court recently adjourned a plea till November 18 (Thursday) that sought directions to conduct the upcoming CBSE and CISCE exams in a combination of two modes which is being referred to as the hybrid or blended mode. This plea was filed by six students who will be appearing for their board exams. According to them, the entirety of semester one exams being conducted in an exclusively online mode is patently unreasonable. They maintained in their plea that an option should be provided to the students to choose whether they want to attempt the examination in an online or offline mode. Here is your guide to understanding hybrid examinations, along with their pros and cons-
What are hybrid examinations?
The hybrid mode of examinations is a newly proposed mode of conducting exams. With the pandemic situation receding steadily, schools and colleges have started reopening and students have returned back to campus and classes in the physical mode have commenced yet again. However, some students residing away from their campus (in other states or cities) may not be able to be present on campus for attempting the exam. This is the root of what has given rise to this proposal.
Thus, hybrid exams would ensure that each student would be given the option to choose the method of attempting the exam as per his/her convenience during the pandemic situation. This plea has received some opposition, with some students saying that this option would not ensure a level-field. However, the board has staunchly maintained that these exams would be conducted and evaluated sans bias, and will be OMR-based wherein the answers will have to be marked on an optical recognition sheet with a ballpoint pen, instead of the usual descriptive answers.
Pros of the hybrid mode
- This mode will ensure the convenience for students in terms of attempting the exam if they can’t be physically present on campus.
- Since these are OMR-based exams, evaluation will be quicker and less subjective as compared to descriptive answers.
Cons of the hybrid mode
- Some students attempting the exams through the offline mode may possibly have the chance to indulge in malpractices.
- There would be no scope for subjectivity in the OMR-based exams, which could result in poor academic performances.