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Dr Balak Ram Kashyap: Fair evaluation can be only if the process is free from personal bias i.e. without fear and favour. In the prevailing circumstances it is very difficult to visualize any action without any element of personal bias. Favoritism as anywhere else cannot be entirely eliminated, although it is possible to exercise some sort of check in order to give an amount of credibility to the system itself.

As at present those related to influential persons should be treated at par with other normal students. They should be evaluated only on the basis of their performance and no extravert factors should be brought in.

In a country where even teachers do not come in and students follow their footsteps which is but natural, where an element of bias is always present while awarding marks or grades to the students/examinees, where knowledge is considered as a 'Commercially satiable commodity where teachers are reported to sexually abuse their students' and where even teachers are termed as SHIKSHA KARMIS a fair evaluation is a far cry.

Sushmita Shrivastava: Whether the existing education system serves our present day needs or whether it requires to be changed, are questions which are uppermost today in the minds of not only those who are responsible for improvement of education in our country but also those whose children are studying in educational institutions.

The existing system of examination began giving negative returns some years ago and has now become highly counter-productive. Unless we make a major effort to overhaul the existing system of examinations, it will not be possible to carry out any major reform or qualitative improvement, such as revision of curricula, improvement of teaching and learning materials, or adoption of important and dynamic methods of learning.

It is common knowledge that examinations have dominated education. The curriculum framers keep the examination as the ultimate aim while drawing up courses. The time-table of the school is prepare in such a way that the students can be best prepared for the examination. The quality of the school is judged on the basis of the Board's results. Not only that, even the teacher's assessment is based upon the performance of his students in the Board's examinations.

We used to say that examination acts as motivation for pupils and teachers. It is a pity that in the name of motivation and stimulation the examinations became indispensable; instead of becoming a means to provide the right type of education they have become an end in themselves

It is common knowledge that examinations have dominated education. The curriculum framers keep the examination as the ultimate aim while drawing up courses. The time-table of the school is prepared in such a way that the students can be best prepared for the examination. The quality of the school is judged on the basis of the Board's results. Not only that, even the teacher's assessment is based upon the performance of his students in the Board's examinations. Today passing an examination is considered more important than acquiring education. That is the reason why we read daily in newspapers about examinations being conducted under police protection. Incidents of malpractices in the examinations are on the increase all over the country. Undoubtedly, a new look to the existing examination system is required. Today examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer. The examiner sometimes forgets that he has to evaluate the pupil's ability; instead he tries to show his own skill and knowledge in the question paper he sets.

Two main things have, therefore, to be done if the existing examination system has to be reformed. First, its domination over the educational system has to be minimised and secondly, the quality of examination has to be improved so as to make it more valid and reliable.

RK Gupta:Education means all-round development of the body, mind and soul of the students. Teaching is very important part of education. The teaching should be done unit-wise and after completion of one unit there should be a test. The student should be asked to solve cognitive type of questions, understanding type of question then. They should be asked questions of an application.

Of all these types of questions, the questions of understanding are the most important. Actually questions of understanding reveal what the learner has learnt. Then questions of application are equally important as they express the skills learnt by the students. In this regard a Chinese proverb is worth quoting:

1. I heard, I forgot

2. I saw, I remembered

3. I did, I understood.

It means understanding is the final goal of education.

Education in a real sense requires a programmed unitwise teaching. In modern methods of teaching psychology of the learner plays a very important role. The teaching should be as per the requirements of the child- that means it should be child-centred and need-based akin to the environment of the child. The educator should follow the maxims of education ie 1 from simple to complex, 2 from subtle to gross, 3 from known to unknown etc.

The teachers should plan their lessons carefully and in the end there should be provision for revision. While teaching if any topic is not fully understood by the students, then in that case the unit taught should be repeated again and again till the topic is thoroughly understood. The achievement of the students should be tested by the well-planned questions. The tests must be objective, accurate and with precision. There is a need of complete rapport among the learners, educators and the parents. In western countries this modern method is used so far an examination is concerned, unlike the formidable annual examination we have in India. Only the hard work with honesty pays in the end.

The present state of affairs is grim in every respect. The educational institutions are not adequately equipped and provided with necessary qualified trained staff. Classes are moreover small with sometimes crowded with 80 or 100 students without proper ventilation.

Subhash C Agrawal: Present examination system does not at all evaluate students fairly. It is quite general that otherwise bright students lose self-confidence at time of examination for not being fairly evaluated as per their actual calibre. Tension is more in students who are optimistic of getting more than 90-per cent marks. An altogether new examination-system devised on advice of experts from all fields including psychologists and psychiatrists should be developed to get away from a system where a mad race to reach at top may be effectively checked. For instance, grade-system can replace marks where no student may be declared to have obtained top marks. It is senseless to have board-examinations at short intervals of class X and class XII and as such board-examinations at class X should be either abolished or should be preponed at class VI level for an equal interval. Board-examinations at class VI level can also induce a new admission-system at class VII level on basis of results of class VI board-examinations to effectively check large-scale irregularities in nursery-admissions.

In the meanwhile, Union Minister for Human Resource Development should be held accountable and sacked from Union Cabinet for his ministry failing to devise an examination-system which might prevent trend of suicides by students due to unbearable examination-fever especially at level of board-examinations. Surprisingly many of the students committing suicides are also brilliant students who give up their lives in fear of not getting good marks. Fixing responsibility will only make decision-takers sensitive to needs of students.

Kalpana Rangari: Today there is need to review the education system as also the marks evaluation procedures. This is due to the fact that our educational system has been carried forward from the British times. Today when we are living in the 21st century, there is need to bring in reforms in the education system. Counseling of students should be carried out every two years and the students guided in selecting job avenues. This will prevent a vacuum being created in them after they pass out the XII and college exams.

I have observed that some students are good at studies but when it comes to writing in exams he does not fare well. At times the students are gripped by examination fobia disease. He falls sick when the exams come. In our country the students are judged by how well they have written in the exam answer-sheets other evaluation of children is not being done.

Development of intellect is a must. We forget that the children are surrounded by a number of factors, the parents pin high hopes on their children. He has to answer to the students, at home why he did not score good marks?

There are times when students have committed suicide after failing in the exams.

Hence evaluation of a student should not be limited to questions only but to his whole personality.

Satish K Singh: Here, question arises- What kind of appraisal is needed for students in the course of examination? First of all, we gaze by the syllabus which is running in schools and colleges. So far as maths and science subjects are concerned, these are rather supportive for students, because it's effectiveness is apparent in engineering, medical, microbiology and so on. But, arts subject is not much accommodating in making our life flourishing. Undoubtedly, music, painting, dance and other fine arts subjects are ready to lend a hand in receiving jobs. But numbers are so negligible. India is the second largest country in population wise. So through these subjects, every student doesn't get an employment.

As we know, first of all, we need wheat after that only we need rose, because in the state of empty stomach, we cannot think about anything even about love and lover. Everything comes after job. Thus whatever courses and examinations are going on in the schools and colleges should be job-oriented.

In view of above facts, present examination system is not evaluating the students fairly. Even teachers don't recognize interior dexterity of students, whereas it is necessary to find out internal longing of students, so that we can build up their proficiency in appropriate manner. Through this work out, we can give him/her a job as per his or her preference. If we do this, productivity of all organizations will augment tremendously, since every employee will get job contentment.

But, alas ineffective syllabus and examination structure are part and parcel in Indian schools and colleges. Just look at the following state of affairs which are enforcing in Indian schools and colleges:-

1-Almost 50-60% students in cities are students of private schools and syllabus of private schools are not job-oriented at all. Money is their foremost interest. They even promote the failed students in higher classes after captivating enticement. Some teachers are not fit to educate students.

2-Condition of government schools is not good. Most schools are ill-equipped for day to day requirements. Even labs are not operational with requisite instruments. Some schools are devoid of teachers. A number of teachers are not well trained as well. A few are still not talented to instruct students.

Greeshma Gopal: Not at all. In fact the present examination system fails in all aspects of evaluating a student's progress during the whole academic session. A more practical approach is needed for critical evaluation. The present evaluation system is outdated. As a result many bright students who are otherwise very intelligent sometimes end up failures in life. In my view a continuous evaluation process should be there during the whole session in the way of monthly review examinations of students and during the final examination of the particular academic session, his or her grades obtained during the monthly review examinations should be given more importance because it gives a clear picture of a student's real talent and his performance in all the subjects of the particular session.

Moreover a more practical approach is needed in evaluation. More importance should be given to practical examinations than theory part because it gives a real result of a student's intelligence and approach to every problem he or she will face in his career.

Syed Zia Ul Hasan Naqvi: Success of students in the present examination system has become a matter of chance hence this system does not evaluates the students fairly. For instance a third class student who prepares only selected questions for his exam and fortunately gets the same question in his examination in that condition he can secure better marks in comparison of a bright student who was regular in the class and performed well during the session. Apart from this students use unfair means for their success in exams. In the present examination system it is difficult to evaluate students fairly. Merely by asking five descriptive questions we cannot judge a student properly.

Students should be examined by objective type and short answer type questions. By objective questions, paper should cover entire course so that students can be tested fairly. In school and colleges monthly test should be introduced and a percentage of marks obtained in these tests should be included in the final exam results.

This present examination system was introduced by the British with the object to produce only clerks. The British were not actually interested in the development of wisdom and skills of Indians so they adopted this jaded examination system in our country.

RJ Khurana: No, not really. The present examination system is based on rote learning and reproducing the memorized knowledge faithfully on paper at the end of the year. The evaluation depends on the quality of reproduction of the memorized knowledge and not on the" how" and the "why " of the things learnt.

Honourable exceptions apart where someone might have had the good fortune of being taught by a teacher trained to maximize the strengths and guide his students to explore and learn, one who is the best rote learner (ghotu) bags the highest marks. His other life skills may be rudimentary nay pathetic. There is no challenge, no creativity, no original thinking, no exploration of the hitherto unknown frontiers of knowledge and no development of the scientific temper.

Neither the present educational system nor the examination system is geared to prepare the students for breaking new ground. An evaluation based on quality of rote learning can never create a Tagore, Sir C V Raman, an Einstein, a Thomas Edison or a John Maynard Keynes. Of the last one it is said that he flunked the undergrad exam in Economics. When asked for the reason for his poor performance in the examination, Keynes who went to become the father of modern day Monetary Economics sardonically remarked, " The Examiner doesn't know that there is Economics beyond the books that he has read."

Krishna Chander Mouli: A big No. Though there have been attempts at improving the examination system and evaluation methods at various levels of expertise to ensure fair evaluation of scholars nothing remarkable has as yet happened but for some peripheral cosmetic touches. It has always been a catch 22 situation for both the academicians as well as the policy makers and none was prepared to break the traditions and conventions. Thus the examination system and evaluation methods continue to be certificate,diploma and degree oriented rather than knowledge and skill oriented. The scholars are thus mediocres.

Whether it is arts,science,commerce or a professional course like medicine, law,engg. Journalism, public relations, communication etc. theory is given importance over the applied knowledge and skill.By just writing definitions, scope its various theories and quoting some authors , a student can score highest marks and clear all his examinations giving the impression that he is brilliant in the applied part too.Infact such a student is sans any applied knowledge and skill and thus fails in competition and performance.

I have no hesitation in remembering here S.C.Behar a former Chief Secretary to Govt. of M.P. and a founder Vice Chancellor of Guru Ghasidas University in Chhattisgarh and Vice Chancellor of the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication for a pretty long time.He is a bureaucrat with an academic bent of mind and sincerely and seriously wished to introduce a new examination and evaluation system to make teaching and testimonials knowledge and skill oriented- not just a theoretical exercise for the sake of a certificate/diploma/degree. To some extent he succeeded too in orientating question paper setting into evaluating a student's knowledge and skill and his applied capacities, rather than just routinely asking theoretical questions.When such examination and evaluation methods are pursued, then only fair evaluation of students would be assured.

SS Chitwadgi: Obviously the answer is yes. There is till date, no known method of evaluating the student other than the present system of examination. The students express their performance on a date or dates fixed periodically in answering the examination questions, for being assessed by the appointed examiners to enable the grading in performance of all those student appearing for examination. Similarly the students express answer orally in addition some times so that they are evaluated.

The question is whether evaluation is fair or otherwise. This depends on the integrity of the organization or institution. News papers often flash news about leakage of question papers. Similarity during oral examining some sort of biases are often encountered favoring selections based on influences. These distortions mar both the student and the intuitions they belong.

There are on record organizations which have established name and fame in an honest conduct of examinations. They are requested to examine. It is always safe to hire these to be free from any blame in conduct of examinations.

Unless impartially conducted, there appears no fairness in evaluation. There are examinations: competition for selection, awarding degrees or diplomas on merits achieved in examination, and also passing from lower to higher on yearly basis in all these categories fair amount of conducting examination is called for. In all probabilities the system adopted may continue to exist but no distortion should occur.

Concluding one could define that the present examination system works well in evaluation. The system is evolved over long period past and universities like Oxford Cambridge have registered highest ranking in conduct of examinations to evaluate the student. These and many more institutions can be taken as examples for our country purposes of evaluations .

RK Kutty: Absolutely not. When I was student in the 60s and 70s, a student had to go through every book from one end to the other as he knew not what question will be asked from which part/portion of the book. So, when mid-term or final examination comes, the students burnt lots of mid-night oil to face the examination. Of course, this is relevant still now in the case of the CBSE Board examinations. The X and XII Board exam students who have passed through the grueling exercise recently must know that. And their anxiety is more as they have to catch up 90+ to get admissions in good colleges/universities or to face highly competitive professional examination.

Since this question is generalized, one has to touch up the examination patterns of some of our modern colleges/universities. When I came to Bhopal, many people advised me to go for a degree or post-graduate degree as they said it is quite easy here. One has to just fill up the form, pay the required fees then go and sit when the examination schedule comes. When I queried what I should study to write the examination, they said a couple of weeks before, you will get cooked up question/answer models of the relevant subjects. Obtain the required models from any stationary mart; go through it and by-heart like parrots. Alas, I could understand the knowledge of such degree holders when I saw an application for two days casual leave written by a double Masters Degree holder.

The lacunae in the present examination system/evaluation is that a studentâ€(tm)s over-all personality and capability is never evaluated. There is no system to check the moral, physical or psychological level of a student. Where is the need to evaluate it when most of our educational institutions are giving thrust to syllabi that emphasizes only on subject related matters where the student is crushed both morally, mentally, physically and even psychologically? That is the reason, for slightest reason, students are tempted to take the extreme steps. Even parents too go madly after their children to get bogged down with their studies. The age old maxim ‘all study and no play made Jack a dull boyâ€(tm). This is one of the main reasons that India couldnâ€(tm)t excel in the Olympic Games. A country of 100 crores plus has produced one Sachin who sacrificed his academic career in pursuit of his cricket career. Looking back, he has nothing lost as he earned more crores than any others who might have excelled academically. So, instead of making out book-worms who later ends up in some white color or other professional jobs, our education/exam patterns should be re-shaped to find out the real talents in our students, nourish and mould it to bring out excellence for themselves as well as the country as a whole.

are: First AB Mehta , Second Lijo Joseph , Third Alka Dixit