Panjab university to install machine for scanning answer-sheets

CHANDIGARH: Panjab University is planning to restructure the examination system for the next semester. Early declaration of results, cost cutting in expenditure and no physical involvement in handling answer-sheets are the three issues that will be taken care of by the controller of examination (COE).
Under the new plan of the examination branch, a FireEye machine will be installed at the secrecy branch of the examination.This machine scans answer-sheets and creates a data of a student. The answer-sheets will be sent to the faculty for checking and when it is sent back, it will be filtered and marks will be tallied according to the norms of the university.
After the installation of this system, results will be declared within two to three weeks which at present take four to six weeks. The project was mooted out in 2017, but got delayed due to various reasons.
Till now, around 100 staff members of the examination branch had been making small packets of 20 lakh copies after they received answer-sheets. They would then tear the front page of the answer-sheet, which had a student’s roll number and name. They would then make packets and the same would be delivered to teachers for checking. After the teachers send the answer-sheets back, the staff would then tally the marks and prepare the result.
Parvinder Singh, controller of examination, said in March, the tender for the fire eye system was to be floated as five to six teams were already working to install the project, but got delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“But now, this machine is required as the work which was being done by over 100 staff members, will be done by two or three supervisors with the help of this machine,” he said.
He said after reviewing the project, it was found that around Rs 75 lakh, which was spent annually the examination secrecy, would be cut down to minimal. The whole system would be under a close CCTV circuit to be monitored by the higher officials. He said the university had to outsource a firm for packaging of answer-sheets every year, which was a matter of concern considering the secrecy of the examination. After installation of this machine, the examination branch won’t need to hire staff from outside.
He said students would benefit with this as results would be declared early.
“The branch is targeting that before the next semester examination, this project will be executed by the university,” he added.