AI, using parents as invigilators: Schools plan for online pre-boards
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, schools are gearing up to conduct online pre-board examinations for students of Classes X and XII from the second week of December. Reportedly, as part of their plan, some schools in the National Capital Region have opted to rely on artificial intelligence, mirrors, web-cams, etc., to ensure that students do not use unfair means while appearing for the exams.
AI to take photos of students every few seconds
DAV Public School in Gurugram's Sector 49 will be utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) during the online pre-boards, Principal Charu Maini told The Times of India. A software will take photos every few seconds and create time-lapse videos of each examinee, she said. These videos will be shared with teachers and will help identify students looking for external help or looking away.
'AI's other features include randomization of questions, navigation control'
Maini told TOI, "The platform's additional features such as auto-selection and randomization of questions, navigation control, and window and image proctoring are built in to ensure a seamless examination process." She said, "First MCQ-based question will appear with a time frame and the second part would be subjective. After writing the paper, they will submit by converting the photos of their answers into PDF."
Web-cams would also be used to keep a check
Rashmi Biswal—the Principal of DAV Public School, Pushpanjali Vihar—told The Indian Express that students will be allowed to write the two-part exam, and submit them as PDFs. However, Biswal said they could not check unfair practices during the first attempt at online exams, hence, students would be encouraged to use two devices: one to download the question paper and another with a web-cam.
'Two devices may not be possible for all students'
"Of course, two devices may not be possible for all students," Biswal admitted. According to TOI, the Scottish High International School in Gurugram, Sector 57, will also encourage students to use two devices, one with a web-cam to monitor the examinees, Principal Sudha Goyal said.
Some schools to use mirrors; others to hold oral exams
A student at a prominent NCR school told TIE that they have been asked to keep a mirror behind them when appearing for online exams. This would help capture more angles. Birla Vidya Niketan Principal Minakshi Kushwaha told the publication that they will conduct pre-boards offline later and will hold mid-terms in December. An oral assessment will also be conducted later.
CBSE planning to hold offline board exams next year
On December 3, the Central Board of Secondary Education had announced that next year's board exams would be offline. The Delhi government has indicated that it does not plan on reopening schools anytime soon. In the NCR cities of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, the governments have permitted schools to reopen for senior students. However, in Haryana, schools were ordered shut again till December 10.
