New reforms to assess UG students in Telangana

The marks allotted to external exams may be reduced and internal assessment marks may be enhanced by incorporating new reforms

Hyderabad: From traditional rote learning, the assessment in undergraduate courses is set to undergo a major transformation and adopt continuous assessment and evaluation. Among others, attendance, classroom discussions, seminar presentation, project submission and individual innovations will be part of the assessment with students awarded academic credits based on their performance in each of the parameters from the next academic year.

Conventional universities — Osmania, Kakatiya, Telangana, Palamuru, Satavahana, Mahatma Gandhi University and Telangana Mahila Viswavidyalayam — have been asked to set up the Centre for Innovations in Assessment and Evaluation. “Headed by a professor, the centre will implement the evaluation reforms besides monitoring the same in the degree colleges,” TSCHE chairman Prof R Limbadri told ‘Telangana Today’ after a meeting with Vice-Chancellors of conventional universities here on Friday.

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Presently, UG students are assessed through external exams for 80 marks and internal exams for 20 marks. The marks allotted to external exams may be reduced and internal assessment marks may be enhanced by incorporating new reforms. These reforms are being brought in BA, BCom, BBA and BSc courses based on the Indian School of Business (ISB) survey commissioned by the Telangana State Council of Higher Education (TSCHE) to improve the quality of UG education besides enhancing the students’ employability quotient.

In a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by the ISB, the assessment and evaluation system in six conventional universities and 14 degree colleges, were studied and interactions held with over 3,000 students in the State. Industry leaders and their expectations from the universities and students were also incorporated in the report. Meanwhile, the BSc (Hons) Computer Science course, which will be on par with the BTech Computer Science and Engineering, has been launched this year with an exit option after the third year. This new course with 60 seats will be offered in nearly 50 degree colleges including 10 autonomous government degree colleges and admissions will be through DOST 2023.

From the next academic year, a paper on cybersecurity has been made mandatory for all degree students irrespective of their stream. This new value-added paper designed in collaboration with experts from Telangana Police, NALSAR University of Law, IIT-Hyderabad, JNTU-Hyderabad, and OU will have four credits and will be offered in the second and third year of the course.