Rabindra Bharati University yet to take call on assessment pattern for final exam

Kolkata: The Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) is yet to decide the assessment pattern of its final semester students considering the fact that majority of subjects offered in the university both in undergraduate and postgraduate level are applied and practical based.

A section of students has urged the university to hold examinations after the Corona situation normalises as they believe that the assessment on the basis of previous semesters will be a deterrent for them in their career pursuits.

"We have formed a committee which is supposed to come up with recommendations on final semester assessment. The recommendations will be placed before our Executive Committee for its final approval. But there is presently a stalemate situation with the state's advisory and UGC's guildelines on terminal semesters being in sharp contrast to each other. We have adopted a wait and watch policy," said a senior official of RBU.

The Higher Education department had issued an advisory for the state universities last month to premise the final semester results based on 80 per cent weightage for best aggregate percentage in any of the previous semesters and 20 per cent on internal assessment in current semester year. However, the University Grants Commission had recently issued guidelines asking the colleges and universities across the states to compulsorily hold final semester examinations by the end of September. The state has taken up the matter with the Centre and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention as the state believes that holding examinations amidst the Covid pandemic in the country will put the students at risk.

In subjects like Drama, Visual Arts, Painting , Sculpture etc students of final semester have to perform infront of external experts of the subjects and marks are awarded on the basis of their performance. "A section of students believe that simply bookish knowledge without the element of practical performance will be a barrier to their career prospects. They have urged the university to hold examinations even in truncated form after Covid situation normalises," said Sabyasachi Basu Ray Chaudhury, Vice-Chancellor of RBU.