Testing, evaluation of educational system must be foolproof: Prof. Aurora

Mysuru: The testing and evaluation of education system and languages are multi-faceted and one ought to make the pattern of our evaluation and assessment more authentic and foolproof, said Prof. Lakshminaryan N. Aurora, former Director, Prasaranga, University of Mysore (UoM). He was speaking after inaugurating a two-day National seminar on “Current trends in testing and evaluation,” organised by National Testing Service - India (NTS-I), Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL),                           here on Oct. 26. He said, “If we do not have proper testing and evaluation measures, it becomes very difficult to assess the results or outcome of the teacher-learning process and thereby the quality and efficiency of the teacher on one hand and the learner on the other cannot be satisfactorily    assessed.” Hence, he said, one has to be more innovative in exploring methods for testing, evaluation and assessment. However, he rued that often one ignores or gives less importance to test less tangible concepts like attitudes, interests, appreciations and personal social adaptability of the students. He pointed out that besides traditional learning methods in formal academic institutions and Universities, there are correspondence courses, distance learning programmes, massive online open courses, virtual Universities, which make use                      of desktops, laptops, iPads, tablets as well as smart phones. “Internet and customised intelligent software have gone a long way in accomplishing this                    objective,” he said. CIIL Director Prof. D.G. Rao delivered the Presidential address. Professor-cum-Deputy Director Prof. P.R.D. Fernandez, Head, NTS, India welcomed, Pankaj Dwivedi, Officer NTS-I briefed about the programme. Professor-cum-Deputy Director Prof. P. Perumal Samy proposed a vote of thanks. Dr. R. Shankuntala compered.