Examination reforms from 2019 admission onwards

The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) Academic Council has decided to bring out reforms in the examination and evaluation processes. A meeting of the council, chaired by Vice Chancellor R. Chandra Babu, decided to implement the online examination system in the graduate level from 2019 admission onwards.

“Online examination and evaluation protocol will ensure timely and cost-effective academic management and help maintain uniformity, transparency and confidentiality of examinations,” said the Vice Chancellor.

This is part of efforts to make the academic administration fully digital. Introduction of OMR techniques, bar coding of answer sheets, an exhaustive question bank, and web-based results are the features of the new system.

The Vice Chancellor said the proposal to establish four new departments in different colleges was examined by the council and it would be taken forward.

The departments envisaged are Nanoscience and Technology, Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System, Sustainable Agriculture and Organic Farming and Intellectual Property Rights and Trade.

“These departments are envisaged in tune with the needs of emerging scenario. For example, nanotechnology is a tool with high potential for agriculture development, which will also help reduce environmental pollution.

Recent advances in this field have wide ramifications in the primary sector. Other new departments also represent emerging priorities and hence proper attention to these branches of study is pertinent,” said Dr. Chandra Babu.

He told the meeting that the convocation ceremony was scheduled for November.

Steps for renewal of ICAR accreditation due next year would be completed in a time-bound manner. The proposals for awarding grace marks for students winning sports and arts competitions, increasing the number of PhD seats in colleges, and ensuring disbursement of KAU fellowships to all PG and PhD scholars were approved by the council.