Page 16 - EVALUATION ENGLISH

Evaluation Reforms

1. Framework for Outcome based Education and Assessment

1.1 Higher Education – Some contributions towards policy development

To understand Higher Education Policy, the Interpretive Structural Model (ISM) of Higher
Education System has been referred to. It identifies 93 elements (Figure 1 and Figure 2) that cover
four sub-systems in the form of a hierarchical structure with the contextual relationship “leading
to”. The policy elements form a basis for the development of a framework for outcome based
education and assessment.

The Mission objective is at the top of the structure (refer structure at www.dei.ac.in), which is to
develop a well-rounded person and then there are four sub-systems, namely, (1) Aims and Objects,
(2) Educational-Curricular Features, (3) Organizational Policy Support, and (4) Governance Policy
Support.

The first one – Aims and Objects – whose elements are detailed below, is immutable. The second
sub-system namely, Educational and Curricular Features, which is less subject to change, consists
of sub-systems such as Intellectual Activity, Social Activity, Physical Activity and the Curriculum
which is integrated, broad-based and interdisciplinary. Any student who joins the undergraduate
class has to go through not only the regular curriculum but also become aware of democratic
processes and the Indian Constitution through courses in Humanities; take core courses in
Indian Culture, Comparative Study of Religion, General Knowledge, Scientific Methodology and
Work Experience; and participate in co-curricular activities consisting of Social Services, Games
and Sports, Cultural and Literary Activities. Different educational activities lead not only to the
fulfillment of Academic Objectives, but also inculcate Moral and Spiritual Values and develop
social sensibilities among students. High performance standards are set up for monitoring quality
of the system against the aims and objects laid down by the policy and then making suitable
changes based on this feedback so as to achieve the objective of evolving a well-rounded complete
person. There is an emphasis on fundamental principles and there is continuous evaluation system,
semester system and grading system. There is an interaction of the system with the environment,
for instance, through extension projects and industry-institute interactions. Thus, learning takes
place through these means. Students are encouraged to also familiarize themselves with one other
modern Indian language – Telugu, Tamil, Oriya, Bengali, or even one of the foreign languages like
Russian, French, German.
The third sub-system – Organizational Policy Support – may be subject to greater variation. There
are policies for organizing student participation in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and
for remedial teaching. Emphasis is on learning through seminars, paper reading, group discussions
etc. There is a system of formal learning or formal education by introducing major academic
subjects, subjects with 50% weightage and electives. There is also provision of lateral entry of
moving from one level of education to the other for better qualified students. There is also non-
formal and private education. Non-formal education will improve distance education and private
education will improve virtual education or cyber-education.

14 Evaluation Reforms in Higher Educational Institutions