DAVV caps daily viva load at 120 per examiner to improve evaluation quality

Indore: After audit objections and growing concern over hurried assessments, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) has introduced a cap on number of students an external examiner can assess in viva examinations in a single day.The university has now limited this number to a maximum of 120 students per examiner, aiming to ensure fair and meaningful evaluation for students. The decision follows reports that in several colleges, external examiners were conducting viva for 150 to 300 students in one day. Since viva forms an important component of internal assessment across undergraduate and postgraduate courses, such large volumes raised serious question about the time devoted to each student and the overall quality of the process.For students, the change is expected to bring relief. Typically, a proper viva requires five to seven minutes per student, with subject-based questions to assess understanding. But, when hundreds of students were assessed in a single day, many reported that the process became a mere formality with limited interaction and superficial questioning.DAVV examination controller Ashesh Tiwari said that financial factors also drew scrutiny. Examiners are paid per student and unusually high daily numbers had led to inflated claims, prompting audit objections. In response, the university has now set a clear limit and issued instructions to all affiliated colleges.To strengthen implementation, the examination department will actively monitor viva schedules and adherence to the new norms. Colleges have also been advised that if the number of students is high, they should appoint multiple external examiners rather than overburdening one.The move is being seen as a step towards restoring credibility in internal assessments. By ensuring that each student receives adequate time and attention, the university aims to make viva examination more rigorous, transparent and aligned with academic standards rather than a procedural exercise.