| Introduction: Contextual Introduction Body: How can the Question Bank system improve the fairness and transparency of exams in India? Conclusion: Way forward |
Implementing a Question Bank system can significantly enhance the fairness and transparency of public examinations in India by addressing several critical issues outlined by the committee under Koppillil Radhakrishnan and the NEP 2020.
Improve Fairness and Transparency
- Standardization and Uniformity: A Question Bank ensures that all questions are pre-vetted and standardized, covering the entire syllabus comprehensively.
- Reduction of Bias and Errors: Questions in a Question Bank undergo rigorous checks to eliminate biases and errors, promoting fairness and objectivity in the evaluation process.
- Elimination of Malpractices: Making the Question Bank publicly available at the beginning of the academic year removes the element of secrecy, significantly reducing the scope for question paper leaks and other malpractices.
- Promotion of Holistic Learning: The Question Bank system encourages students to understand and grasp the entire syllabus rather than focusing on selective topics.
- Transparency in Examination Conduct: Publicly available Question Banks ensure transparency in the examination process.
- Efficiency in Exam Preparation and Conduct: Knowing that questions will be derived from a well-structured Question Bank, students can prepare more effectively, reducing anxiety associated with unpredictable question patterns.
- Enhanced Institutional Accountability: Institutions will be incentivized to digitize and streamline their examination processes, as recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
- Curtailment of Cheating: By assigning different sets of questions to different examination centers or even individual students, the Question Bank system can significantly reduce cheating and copying.
- Building Trust in the System: The transparency and fairness brought by the Question Bank system ensure that all stakeholders—students, educators, and institutions—have confidence in the evaluation process.
- Long-term Institutional Improvement: The NEP 2020’s vision includes evolving independent cadres like the Indian Education Service and specialized courses in educational management.
Conclusion
The implementation of a Question Bank system addresses several long-standing issues in the conduct of public examinations, promoting fairness, transparency, and efficiency. It aligns with the NEP 2020’s goals of transforming learning assessments and ensuring high standards of education across the country. By curbing malpractices, encouraging holistic learning, and enhancing institutional accountability, the Question Bank system fosters a trustworthy and robust evaluation framework, essential for the progress and integrity of India’s educational landscape.
