Plan ready for alternative mode of final assessment for students of ITIs & polytechnic institutes

Kolkata: The state Technical Education department has worked out an alternative mode of assessment for students of final semester if it has to adopt to no contact mode for holding final semester examination of ITIs and polytechnic institutes across the state.

Generally terminal examinations in technical education institutes across the country is conducted on the same dates as declared by the Directorate General of Training (DGT)under Ministry of Labour and Employment usually in July- August. But there has been communication yet from the DGT.

"We are now laying special emphasis on formative assessment of the students. Mock tests are being conducted through two Apps designed by DGT which will help students if we have to go for computer based test for final examinations. Questions are being sent through 'Google Form' and the students are replying back in stipulated time allotted to them," said a senior official of the state Technical Education department. Saibal Dasgupta, Deputy Director of government ITI, Tollygunge said that the challenge on the part of the department is in reaching out to the students hailing from the remote areas whose internet connectivity is poor.

"Over 55 per cent of the ITI students are being reached online but we are unable to reach the rest. We are planning to take special classes in groups on weekends so that they get accustomed to the online mode," said Dasgupta.

The department has discussed that during final assessment arrangements may be made to bring the students with poor internet connectivity to institutions located near their residences for the assessment process. "The present lockdown in technical institutions is upto June 30. If it is extended then we have to go for no contact assessment mode. We have thought of three alternatives already," said Purnendu Bose, Minister for Technical Education, Training and Skill Development.

Presently there are 252 ITIs and 148 polytechnic colleges in the state that includes both government and private. 25000 students pass out from ITIs every year.