Best Practices

1.         Title of the Practice

Robust and Transparent Assessment and Evaluation system

2.  Objectives of the practice 

To make the Assessment & Evaluation system

• student centric, transparent and objective
• continuous, flexible and rapid
• error free, unbiased and less cumbersome

Also to

• involve the stakeholders in the process of academics and evaluation
• Prepare students for new patterns of evaluation, such as online exams
• enhance student competence
• address the issues of unfair means, malpractices
• do away with the system of re-valuation
• reduce grievances

3.   The Context  

• Ensure good governance, transparency and accountability
• Familiarization of various stakeholders about the examination regulations through orientation programs,FDP and e-interface
• Satisfaction of Students and Parents regarding the system of evaluation
• Online declaration of marks of Continuous Assessment
• Examination conducted strictly adhering to the Academic calendar
• Online proctored Examination system, lending transparency to the Examination Process and Valuation
• Timely declaration of results
• Reduce grievances regarding question papers
• Reducing cases of unfair means
• Just and fair evaluation

4.  The Practice

The University has a robust,transparent, well defined evaluation system.

Students are assessed on the basis of Continuous Assessment (CA) and Semester/Trimester/Year End Examination. CA is based on Test, Home Assignment, Seminar, Quiz, Submissions, Attendance, Classroom Activity, etc.

•  University has adopted Grading scheme to compute results, in terms of SGPA & CGPA
•  The evaluation methods are communicated to the stakeholders through University website, Academic Handbook and orientation programmes.
• Marksheets& Degree Certificates have been digitized and uploaded on the National Academic Depository(NAD) for easy access by students.
• Training programmes and workshopson the techniques of assessment and evaluation are organized frequently for faculty members.
• Meritorious students are awarded in the Convocation and Annual function.
• University redresses students’ grievances pertaining to question papers through Grievance Redressal Committee.
• Cases of Unfair means are dealt with by the Unfair means Adjudication Committee
• University strictly adheres to the Academic Calendar.

Examination Reforms

• The Examination system is fully automated.
• Special pattern of question papers, questions addressing the knowledge, skill-application, problem solving are included viz.Objective, Short answer, Descriptive, Analytical, Numerical and Case Studies. The pattern allows assessment of lower order skills, formative and summative assessment and assessment of higher order cognitive skills/ competencies.
• Integration of compulsory practical component in all subjects for students to apply knowledge and skills to real time/ simulated situations.
• Examination reforms are initiated and implemented through:

• Moderation of question papers to ensure compliance with the blue print, scope of syllabus and to maintain required difficulty level
• Blueprints for paper setters to ensure adherence to and  the coverage of complete syllabus
• Coding of answer books and double evaluation to check/ eliminate bias and render objectivity
• Third evaluation prior to result declaration where the difference of marks of two examiners is more than 20%, for fair assessment
• Central Evaluation for timely declaration of results
• Comprehensive scrutiny of answer books and awards to check and rectify assessment lapses and totaling errors
• Provision for remedial tests and special examination for students participating in National/ State level activities / on medical grounds.
• Question papers are set mostly by external examiners
• Computer based,Research Entrance Test for admission to M.Phil./ Ph.D. Programmes andin foundation subjects-Environmental Science, Information Technology, Computer Applications, General Studies, Women’s Studies & Entrepreneurship
• Best 5 answer books are kept in the library to provide guidelines to students
• Scribes are providedon request, to transcribe a student's answers in University exams.
• Award of credits only after qualifying both  in CA and Semester end

Evidence of Success

The above-mentioned systems and reforms have been successfully implemented since the inception of the university and have yielded positive results in terms of:

• Smooth, efficient conduction of examinations
• Objectivity and transparency in the evaluation system
• Timely declaration of results
• Minimization in number of grievances pertaining to examination
• Improved performance of students
• No selective learning by the student
• Increase in Volunteering
• Maintenance of Secrecy
• Curtailed demand for revaluation
• Comprehensive assessment of student by testing different types of skills
• Grading system, thus minimizing misclassification of students on the basis of marks
• Enhanced question framing skills of teachers

Problems Encountered and Resources Required  

• The changing global scenario and ever-increasing professional demands propel innovations in the course content but finding a competent external examiner for the same becomes a challenge.
• The pattern of question paper is quite exhaustive which in turn narrows the probability of finding external paper setters.
• At times students fail to realize the importance of being consistent in studies, which results in poor performance in Continuous assessment
• The semester/ trimester system must stick to a strict time frame, the diverse range of courses offered pose a challenge to Examination cell.
• In central evaluation not all institutes are willing to relieve theexternal examiners.
• Timely receipt of the question papers is a challenge.
• In the tight schedule of semester/ trimester system it’s a challenge for students to participate in co-curricular activities
• Examination requires good software, Computers, Internet,dedicated staff, secure office space

“Evaluation without development is punitive, and development without evaluation is guesswork.”

(B) 1. Title of the Practice

Innovative, Job oriented Career Oriented Skill Development courses

2. Objectives of the Practice

To make the curricula more robust, enhance the skill component of the syllabiand to introduce Career Oriented Skill Development to empower students to be job worthy/ create entrepreneurial ventures.

This was implemented -

• To provide career education and develop skills in students interested in directly entering the workforce
• To support students in the vocational exploration, identification, pursuit and integration of personal and professional career goals
• To initiate programmes for training students for “local” employers
• To develop courses of interest for personal and community development
• To broaden the skill-base of the students enrolled in Degree programmes and to empower them for alternative vocations
• To connect students directly to opportunities for employment,internship /on the job training
• To develop professionals with global competencies viz. soft skills, information and communication technologies, cosmopolitanism etc.

3. The Context

• The institution’s philosophy is to develop student centric, rigorous, flexiblecurricula which is relevant for the individuals, the country’s economy, and the society at large.
• It motivated to look beyond traditional pathways of 3 Es viz. Education, Employability and Employment and think of strategies to bridge the gap between skill and knowledge. For this the University developed a 3-tiered approach :

• To incorporate vocational & skill component in the regular  courses
• To offer short-term skill-based courses along with traditional degree courses
• To offer vocational and industry-aligned professional courses
• To promote interdisciplinary programmes that prepare students for diversified career opportunities

• The institution started 5 Add-on courses in 2004 and received a UGC sanctioned grant of Rs. 10 lakh for 5 COSD courses from Arts, Social Science and Science in 2005.
• Thereafter,several COSD courses have received funding from UGC, viz. International Business, Jewellery Designing, Fashion Designing, Web Designing, Tourism and Airline Management.
• The tally today stands at 34 self-sustained Add-on courses.
• These courses focus on real-world application, with many programs including internships or projects in their field of study.

4. The Practice

• These are skill based vocational courses which cater to the requirements of various professional fields
• They provide opportunities to students for enhancing their career development & exploratory learning through hands-on practice, classroom sessions,self-study, understanding of the job market, skill development and decision-making
• Students enrolled in Undergraduate/Postgraduate programmes are eligible to take up one of these courses alongside their regular course of study
• In the first year of Undergraduate programmes each student is required to take a Certificate COSD course of her choice
• Beingstand-alone courses, students not enrolled for any degree programme can also pursue them
• These are Progressive in approach- A Certificate holder is eligible for the Diploma course and a Diploma holder for the Advanced Diploma Course
• The Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses (each of one year) are designed to have more of practical or applied character to help the students  understand the basic concepts at the first level paving the way for a smooth transition to the higher level
• They are characterised by multiple exit options, credit system, unit-based syllabi, outcome-based assessment, and Input and output-based credit criteria for general education and skills respectively
• At the end of three years, the students are equipped with a Certificate/Diploma/Advanced diploma in an add-on course along with a conventional degree in Science/Arts/Commerce
• They are designed to be interdisciplinary in nature and promote horizontal mobility
• To ensure that all students benefit from these courses, the University has made it mandatory for them to study one add-on /COSD course of their choice in the first academic year (1^st& 2^nd Semesters) in UG Degree Programmes.Thereafter, it is optional for the students to continue to study them for Diploma, Advanced Diploma or take a different COSD at the Certificate level in subsequent years of their degree programme
• A dedicated slot of one hour is reserved daily in the University timetable for these courses
• Internships, projects, on the job training, practicals, seminars, presentations by the students form an integral part of the syllabi of most of these courses
• The University maintains a robust industry-academia interface to bridge the gap between the two and make the content of these courses industry relevant

5. Evidence of Success

• These courses have proved to be effective in student’s overall progression and in seeking employment or setting up own startups
• The multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary learning experience has facilitated thescope for better employment which is reflected in the placements
• They have experienced the edge over graduatesof other institutions
• Students have developed multiple skills through the field experiences/practical training/ summer internships and are able to apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations
• With the help of skills earned through COSD courses, several students have set up as first-generation entrepreneursin various fields such as Fashion Designers, Jewellery Designers, Senior Manager Publicis Sapient, Assistant Professors, Tour Managers, Event Managers etc.
• Several students have established careers in the area of their COSD rather than their chosen stream for degree programmes
• Students of Science stream as well as PG students, choose to pursue their interest in COSD in the European languages French/German, as well as other courses, which reflects the popularity of these courses.

6. Problems encountered and Resources required

• Sustaining the interest of the students of professional programmesin these courses is a challenge because they are under pressure to cope with the core courses of the programme
• Students at times do face problem in getting permission from their parents for internships
• Getting adequately trained faculty to teach the skill based papers
• Further, in a tightly scheduled semester pattern of teaching, time management has been found to be one of the biggest challenges in giving special space to  industry-academic interface
• At times fixing time slots in the timetable becomes a challenge in case of PG and UG (II & III year) students opting for a COSD course.
• Good Infrastructure, adequate faculty and resources are required to run them
• Modularcurricula along with modern teaching-learning tools and methods like audio-visual preparations, group discussions, Student seminars and internships are required

“Work to become, not to acquire”