MUHS Opts for Q-Bank Method To Set Papers

Mumbai: Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), which sets the syllabus and supervises admissions to all MBBS, ayurvedic, homeopathic and other medical colleges across the state, has decided to prepare a database of questions to randomly set papers. The university wants to have database of questions for medical exams to avoid mistakes, paper leaks and ensure a foolproof method. Also, the selection of questions would be based on random selection through computerized software.

As per sources, the move has come after the MUHS higher-ups decided to introduce some examination changed to make the procedure of paper setting more transparent and free of mistakes. As a part of this process, MUHS has asked heads of all departments to prepare a bank of questions for all subjects that will be made available online or in a CD and the question paper would be set from this set of questions.

Dr Arun Jamkar, Dean of MUHS, has said that the idea is still in a discussion stage, but once all departments agree, the process would not take long to implement. In addition, he has said that every time during exams they face the embarrassment of silly mistakes in question papers. Sometimes questions come from old syllabus or out of syllabus etc. He said that these are human errors and their possibility will always remain if the process of paper setting is manual. He added that this is the reason why they want the exam paper setting to be computerized, so that chances of errors are eliminated. He added that the selection of questions would be based on random selection through computerized software.

It is anticipated that besides mistakes in question papers, paper leaks would also be reduced as the question paper would be prepared just a day before examinations and sent to all exam centres. Dr Jamkar has also added that currently, professors are involved in setting of papers. He said that though there are no questions of leaks, mentality is such that papers can be leaked. Here, the selection of questions would be random and no one would know.