Page 14 - EVALUATION ENGLISH

International Scenario

In United Kingdom (UK), the Quality Assurance Review identified student assessment as a key
area of concern (QAA 2014), while UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States reports in a quality
audit of 23 universities that:

…. assessment continues to be a weakness, particularly in three respects. First, too much emphasis
is placed on the memory recall of descriptive knowledge. Second, not enough is done to test
higher-level cognitive skills. Third, there is virtually no moderation either internal or external to
ensure the fairness and transparency of marking (UNDP/RBAS 2006:5).
Marks and grades are increasingly seen by students as commodities with a purchase price and
spending power; in line with the OECD’s findings, university students know that an investment in
fees will generate a life time return.

Across 25 OECD countries and the partner economy Israel, individuals with university degrees
and advanced research education had earnings that were at least 50% higher than individuals whose
highest level of educational attainment was below the upper secondary level (OECD 2007 a:6).

In western countries, most of the universities and institutions of higher education are assessing the
students wholly on internal evaluation methods following the principle “those who teach should
evaluate”. The system followed in the western countries has been accepted by the whole world
and the students coming out of those countries are valued higher than the degree holders of the
Indian universities.

12 Evaluation Reforms in Higher Educational Institutions