Bring technology in exam reforms but clean up the system first, says IT Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal

By Vikas Vaidya

“More than technology you need good morale. Before you implement Information Technology, we must clean up our system, if not, it will not be of any use,” pointed Secretary, Information Technology, Government of Maharashtra and Chairman of Examination Reforms. Aggarwal was speaking during the inauguration of  seminar on Road map to examination reforms organised by Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University.
The RTMNU Acting Vice-Chancellor Anoop Kumar in its initiative to improve the examination process is planning  to implement the recommendations of  Rajesh Aggrawal committee. It was a long  awaited decision and Anoop Kumar  had given  impetus to it by introducing a special post of Director, Exam reforms.
Anoop Kumar presided over the function. Dr Vedprakash Mishra, Chairman of Academic Council and Advisor to President of Medical Council of India (MCI), Dr Gauri Shankar Parasher, ex-Pro Vice Chancellor of RTMNU, Dr Baban Taywade, Member of Management Council, Dr Satish Wate, Director, NEERI,  Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Vinayak Deshpande, Registrar Dr Ashok Gomashe, Controller of Examination Vilas Ramteke were seated on the dais.
Some of the reforms expected are in the form of on-line admission cards, printing of question paper  30 minutes before the exam, barcodes on answer sheets, digitalized evaluation of answer sheets, on-line screening of answer sheets, on-line submission of revaluation,   on-line information for students, CCTV cameras and biometrics process.
Aggarwal said, “We had submitted the report within two months. The committee had Controllers of Examination of all universities. With their inputs, the report was prepared. All CoEs agreed but unfortunately some universities did not implement the report. Some universities have implemented some recommendations and they are getting good results.”
Perturbed by the slow response by public universities towards implementation of examination reforms suggested by Aggarwal panel, the State government had invoked special powers under section 8 (4) of the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994 to prevail upon universities to undertake the needed measures. The 19-member committee which had representation from non-agricultural universities in the state was given a mandate to suggest reforms against the backdrop of incidences of question paper leakage in Mumbai and Aurangabad universities in early 2012.
The government had backed almost all reforms suggested by the panel, and had issued official orders in November last year asking universities to submit a report every month towards progress achieved in the suggested road map.
RTMNU has started some of the things and is doing well in that sector. The university has introduced OMR and bar-code techniques for students' answer-sheets as part of the Aggarwal committee.
The Aggarwal committee had advocated that universities should try and implement its recommendations on pilot basis by the first half of 2013 and in a full-fledged manner thereafter.
Dr Vedprakash Mishra, Dr Parasher, Dr Satish Wate also spoke on the occasion. Anoop Kumar briefed the audience about the workshop. Dr Vinayak Deshpande gave a welcome speech. Moiz Mannan Haque, Head, Department of Mass Communication of RTMNU compered the programme and Vilas Ramteke proposed vote of thanks.
Later on Panel discussion was held in which Dr Veena Prakashe, Information Scientist, RTMNU, Dr S P Kane, Director of Inter-Quality Assurance Cell, Dr Murlidhar Chandekar, Principal of VMV College participated.
Finance and Accounts Officer of RTMNU Puran Meshram, ex-Pro Vice Chancellor Dr Maheshkumar Yenkie, Director of Board of University and College Development Dr Shrikant Komawar, Management Council Member Dr D K Agrawal, Vice-Principal of Dharampeth Commerce and Arts College Dr Akhilesh Peshwe, Dr Pradip Kundal, Dr Bharat Meghe, Dr Pradip Bute, Dr Jyoti Patil and others were present.