(Beginning today, we are starting a new weekly column on education. The first piece talks of CBSE percentages, DU cut-offs, education diplomacy and marketingof educational institutes)
By Shalini S. Sharma
Just when everybody was hoping for some sanity to return to the CBSE marking system and scores were expected to look more reasonable, the latest class XII results have belied all logic and rationale. Move over maths, a student has scored 100 marks in English this time and 99.6 per cent is the highest score in humanities.
One does wonder what mathematical formula would have yielded the fearful symmetry of 100 marks in a subject like English, but a formula it is, which has made this possible. As in several other things, technology is bringing about major changes in the way question papers are created and evaluated. With the number of answer sheets increasing every year and the number of evaluators not keeping pace at the same rate, technology solutions have come in handy for boards.
Answer sheets are no longer pored over by harried teachers in physical format. These days all answer sheets are scanned and uploaded on a central server. From there they are sent in batches to school teachers for evaluation. Teachers see the answer sheets on screen and the marking system is displayed constantly for reference. This system eliminates the possibility of human error and also makes the marking more scientific and accurate. This is also what makes cent per cent marks in language possible, where nothing can be seemingly absolute or correct but a right answer only has to have all the right key words for the evaluator to click on the highest grade button.
Cut-off capers
One shudders to think what the cut-offs would be like this year in the Delhi University. Due to some glitches in the web portal of the university, online filing of applications has begun late this year. Sometime later this month, when it comes to deciding the cut-offs, faculty members in colleges are sure to find it tough to draw the first line. Going forward, rather than just depending on a number to decide whether or not to give admission to somebody, institutes should start including several other parameters in the evaluation process, such as the overall personality which can be gauged through group discussions, short essays etc. This is similar to what St Stephens does at the moment and other institutions of higher learning do as well, world-wide.
Around the world
So far it used to be only the Ministry of External Affairs which used to take higher education diplomacy seriously. In the past few years it has funded visits to India of several students from the African sub-continent as well as ASEAN nations who have come back here to pursue higher studies. More recently, the Ministry of Commerce has joined the bandwagon in stressing on the importance of exporting Indian higher education services. Now the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Human Resource Development have also started singing the same tune. The latter is planning a major marketing drive in Africa soon.
Publicity pays
It helps for a university to have the backing of one of the largest media houses in the country. Advertising comes for free and news related to the subject can be tailor-made to suit the institute. What others pay an arm and leg for, comes like a birthright for this one. But even those born with a silver spoon have to prove their worth to the world. Initial advantage can only help one get so far. The real advantage for such an institute is that the promoters understand the value of scholarly wisdom and strive to bring the best for their students. Promoters with other kinds of background, say distributors of sweets or other sundry commodities, are found to be particularly lacking here.
(The writer is a freelance journalist)
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