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Bhubaneswar: Just days after the Union Government announced that the newly formed-National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct national-level competitive examinations like UGC-NET, NEET, JEE (Mains), the agency is all set to introduce new changes by next year including unique set of questions for each examinee.
Sources said the new testing agency has already initiated a blueprint to deploy modern tools like artificial intelligence, psychometric analysis and computer-based adaptive testing for screening candidates during the examinations which are set to be conducted in an all-new online format from next year.
Not only this, several other new rules are also on the anvil, informed sources. For example, students will be allowed to choose their own exam dates. During the examination, candidates will be able to review or revisit questions later, once they have completed the easier ones. In case the candidate is unhappy with the scores, he/she can retake the exams again after three months.
Experts believe that the move to introduce new format is aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and help honest students who have better grasp on the subject rather than those who depend on rote learning.
The question papers would be designed in a manner that the computer algorithm would throw random questions to students instead of particular question sets.
Similarly, highest level of encryption will be done so that the question database would be near-impossible to hack which also essentially makes the examination safer and it would reduce malpractice, said former Director of Rourkela NIT, Sunil Sarangi.
“The agency would definitely have a huge database of questions so that the computer software can have options to prepare a balanced question set with high and low difficulty levels,” he said.
“But my only concern is that from now on the government should be prepared to bring in all the competitive examinations like JEE Advanced and JEE Mains under one roof," Sarangi said.
Odisha Private Engineering College Association and students have welcomed the move to introduce the new format.
“The exams will be more secure and at par with international norms. There will be no issues of leakages and it would be more student-friendly, open, and scientific,” OPECA Secretary, Binod Das said.
"As students we think that the new decision will greatly benefit us because of its flexibility. We can appear the exam for the second time in a single year, if by any chance we miss the exam in the first place," said a student.
It is to be noted that earlier this month, Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar announced that in place of the CBSE, now the NTA will conduct major engineering and medical examinations from next year. The testing agency will conduct the UGC-NET in December. Similarly, JEE (Mains) will be held twice a year, in January and April and NEET would be conducted in February and May every year by the testing agency.
