SRINAGAR: The University of Kashmir is continuing with multiple choice question papers (MCQs) for even semesters at the under graduation level for now in order to expedite the examination results even as college teachers have criticised the move.
Under the new scheme of question papers for UG semester examinations-notified by the KU in March this year- the questions papers of odd semester exams will comprise descriptive questions while as for even semesters, objective type questions will be asked to the students.
Officials at KU had said that the new paper scheme had been specifically introduced to expedite the UG exams, which had been delayed over the last few years and they would switch back to the usual scheme of question papers.
However, Controller Examinations at KU, Prof Farooq Ahmad Mir told Kashmir Reader that the new scheme of question papers will continue for now in view of the delayed examinations due to the recent lockdown in the valley against abrogation of Article 370.
Prof Mir said that the odd semester UG exams will comprise descriptive questions while as there will be MCQs in the even semesters.
The 4th semester UG exams, which concluded recently, comprised of objective type questions, he said adding that the upcoming 6th semester examinations will also have the same pattern of question papers.
As for the odd semesters like the ongoing 1st semester examinations, descriptive questions are being asked to the students.
The new pattern of question papers at the UG level, Prof Mir said, will ensure timely declaration of results of the examinations under the prevalent circumstances as they were able to evaluate the MCQ based question papers faster.
It can be recalled that under the new scheme of question papers at UG level applicable for the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) semesters of 2016 batch onwards, the question paper for even semesters-regular and backlog-at the colleges will have 60 MCQs and will be of as many minutes’ duration.
For odd semesters, the question paper of 2 hours’ duration will be descriptive and will have three sections-A, B and C having short, medium and long answer type questions respectively.
As per the March notification issued by the KU in this regard, there would be no change in the question papers of annual scheme and non-CBCS semester scheme batch of 2015 and earlier batches.
Shortly after the KU notified the new paper scheme, college teachers in the valley had criticised the move and specifically called the KU’s decision to introduce MCQ-based question papers in colleges as “detrimental”, which will “deteriorate the examination system”.

Irshad Khan