Questionnaires will be created by Anna University for autonomous engineering colleges
One of Tamil Nadu’s most esteemed universities, Anna University, is going to take a significant step toward evaluating the caliber of students enrolling at independent engineering schools. Beginning with the current academic year (2023–24), the school plans to deploy specialists to design question papers for one test for one semester and analyze response scripts.
In Tamil Nadu, around 90 out of 446 engineering institutions have autonomous status, giving them the power to determine exam questions and assess student performance. After achieving autonomous status, several of these institutions have reported a considerable improvement in their pass rate. Disparities in assessment techniques have resulted from certain universities’ reliance on outside experts to create question papers.
The vice-chancellor of Anna University, R Velraj, responded to the predicament by confirming that the academic council of the institution had issued a decision to arrange the question paper for one test. According to a remark from Velraj in the Times of India, “This will reveal the real status of the students.” It’s crucial to remember, however, that engineering schools with NIRF top 100 rankings, NAAC A++ grades, and departments with six years of NBA accreditation will be exempt from this restriction.
Principals of independent colleges voiced displeasure at the time, warning that it may jeopardize their schools’ independence.
By combining theoretical and lab sessions, Anna University intends to simplify the educational process for engineering students. The university will introduce a new method where the same faculty person who teaches the theory class will also teach the practical class the following day, Velraj said. Currently, separate faculty members handle theoretical and practical sessions.
On four campuses, including the College of Engineering, Guindy (CEC), Alagappa College of Technology (AC Tech), School of Architecture, Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), and Planning (SAP), the integration of theory and lab sessions will first be adopted.
In addition, the university has decided to charge students registered in autonomous institutions an academic administration fee of Rs 2,000. The news source said that a university representative justified the price by asserting that Anna University actively supports independent institutions and assumes a number of duties to guarantee their efficient operation. The university syndicate gave its approval to the plan to charge a fee for these services.
