Now, monthly tests for UP Board students in Lucknow
LUCKNOW:Students of class 9 to 12 of UP Board schools in the district will now have to take monthly written tests. The move is aimed at assessing how much they have learnt from virtual classes or lessons taught via ‘e-Gyan Ganga’— a virtual medium of imparting education. “As the students will be taking the tests from home, it can be called an open book exam,” an official said.
District inspector of schools, Lucknow, Mukesh Kumar Singh said, “As schools are closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s no system to assess the learning outcome. We are encouraging students to appear in monthly test so that we know exactly how much they have learnt from the virtual classes.”
“UP Board has not said anything on open book exam though. In Lucknow, the term open book exam has been coined by teachers to encourage students to take the test. The students may send answers to teachers via WhatsApp, etc,” he said. The online classes for UP Board class 9 to 12 students began from August 18.
Singh said teachers had been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing question banks for students, evaluating them and ensuring availability of textbooks to them.
“Besides, on Saturdays there will be mock test and an online test will be held every fortnight. Teachers are required to evaluate copies on the same day and make statement of marks available via phone,” he added.
DIoS said this was an extraordinary situation and teachers will have to take all possible measures to ensure students were attending virtual classes regularly. Syllabus of UP board-for classes 9 to 12-- has been reduced by 30% in absence of regular classroom teaching due to Covid-19 as only online classes are going on.
“The remaining 70% course will be divided into three parts. The first part will comprise online classroom teaching and lessons taught via Doordarshan. The second will be self-study by students and the third will be project work that will be assigned to students by teachers from time to time,” Singh said.