UGC gave guidelines to universities across the country to conduct the final year exam by September end. Looking at the safety parameters we can say that an online exam is the only solution to keep the academics going on.

The pandemic has forced people across the world to stay indoors causing the suspension of examinations. To give away the degree to the students it is necessary to conduct online examinations. Vice-chancellors of some universities are finding it tough to hold examinations under the conditions.

The only feasible method to conduct exams in circumstances as they are today is through online portals.

The biggest challenges organizations faced while conducting online exams are as follows:

-Lack of awareness and experience is one of the greatest obstacles in experimenting with online examination management systems.

-There is an opinion that students could resort to using unethical means in an online test. They may obtain impersonators who might take the examination on their behalf.

-A student may have someone helping him/her from behind the webcam with answers.

- They may further make use of smartphones to cheat on their online tests. They may even log in to different web browsers to obtain answers.

-There could be many other methods of malpractice that the students might practice such as connecting external storage devices, and even screen sharing.

-Both teachers and students are customary to paper-based tests. Hence, this may give them a feeling that they might not be well outfitted to move forward with online examination.

-The requirement for last-minute software updates, setbacks due to overloaded systems, and unpredictable internet efficiency might make online assessment difficult to implement.

Online examinations will not just mean a shift in the platform for conducting assessments but also create a series of changes in assessment styles. Students who have been used to answering essay type questions and short questions will abruptly feel confined to mostly MCQs. It may become difficult to adjust to answering these types of questions.

The experience will give them the spirit to lead in a world that needs them to be innovative in attitude and approach. During this pandemic situation, it would be an enormous task for university authorities to maintain and organize conventional examinations successfully. Their responsibilities might include supporting thousands of students, looking for large numbers of invigilators, and assessing papers for months to get the results out. Revaluation is another task which is a big concern.

With the set-up of online examinations, even candidates from remote areas could appear for it. This would enable processing modules for evaluators to finalize results right after the candidates finish the test. Unlike the previous pen and paper examination, it is likely to conduct open book examinations on an online examination system. Many companies have resorted to online examination software as their favored medium of choice for evaluating professional capabilities.

Online examinations will assist in overcoming the challenges of setting up physical test centers and speeding up the method of evaluation. however, there is no doubt that this is the need of the hour. The capability to conduct examinations needs nothing more than a stable internet connection. This ensures that examination is available to all students from any location. Online examination is the only way to get over the present situation in the field of education.

Collegebol wishes good luck to all the students for their exams and a brighter future. This platform believes in empowering students and guiding them to head a path that takes them to their goal. Reach out to us if you think you want to speak to someone who can relate it to you.