Delhi University has revoked a decision which required students to write their name and that of their parents’ on answer scripts. The U-turn followed protests by the student community, and a recent threat of an agitation by Delhi University Students’ Union.

A north campus college principal said a committee of college principals and DU officials met last Monday on the issue.

The earlier decision was revoked in view of the students’ reaction on providing personal details, which will be seen by exam evaluators. Now, there would be just an identification code on the answer sheet.

The answer sheet would have the students’ date of birth and the name of the course.
Teachers welcomed the decision.

“In the changed format, there was scope for discrimination. Examinations have a secrecy which should be kept intact,” a Hindu College professor said.

From the November exams, three teachers will evaluate parts of the answer sheet. DU officials said the decision was taken to lessen the burden on the examination department as there will be less scope for mistakes.

In the earlier system, one teacher evaluated the entire answer sheet and two others rechecked it.

“When I check the whole answer sheet, I can understand strengths and weaknesses of the student in that particular topic and can try to balance the marks. This way we will stick to our sections and give marks,” added the professor.

There will be around 15 evaluation centres for the November exams.  
The changes in examination format came after complaints of delayed results and mistakes in evaluations. From this year, re-evaluation is also scrapped as officials feel that with three teachers checking the paper, there is little or no scope for mistakes.