DU Mock test: Fewer glitches but students not convinced
nNEWDELHI:THE second mock openbook examination (OBE) conducted by Delhi University for its final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students on Monday faced fewer glitches than the first one conducted by the university on July 4, students and teachers said.
Concerns over the feasibility of the university’s first-ever openbook exams are, however, far from over.
Naman Biyani, a final-year undergraduate student from Shri Ram College of Commerce, said, “Though there were fewer glitches this time, it can be attributed to fewer students taking the test. Additionally, there is a course-wise timetable for students to appear for the mock tests in different slots. Server load today was distributed slot-wise but that won’t happen in our exams so we don’t really know how it might work out.”
Despite calls and messages, Dean (Exams) Vinay Gupta was unavailable for a comment.
“There can be several reasons behind the glitches such as internet connectivity, file format, or poor speed. However, students will get multiple chances to upload the documents,” said a senior DU official, requesting anonymity.
The university had on July 15 announced that it would conduct the first phase of mock tests, beginning Monday, in three sessions on all three days according to a course-wise timetable.
This was after the first mock OBE, conducted on July 4, was marred by several glitches such as trouble uploading or downloading documents and server error on the website.
Students said that since Monday’s test was conducted more than three weeks after the July 4 practice exams, the portal could have been more functional by providing sample question papers instead of generic questions. Charu Sharma, a final-year student at Rajdhani College, was among those students. “I faced errors in downloading the question paper and later I couldn’t upload my answer sheets despite rebooting my phone several times. I had to give my login ID password to my friend. This won’t be possible during the final exams” she said.