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The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. trains college teachers to set question papers testing students' analytical, problem-solving skills
Numbers, often, do not reflect the reality. Masked behind Tamil Nadu's high gross enrolment ratio (GER) of 52% in higher education are serious deficiencies in curriculum transaction and assessment, as highlighted by a State Planning Commission's evaluation of university question papers that was released in December 2023. The report was an indictment of the rot that had set in in Tamil Nadu's higher education realm. Question papers for semester-end exams for Engineering and Arts and Science subjects barely challenged the students to use analytical or problem-solving methods; rather, they had questions that involved mere recall of concepts, which promoted rote learning. These deficiencies in pedagogical methods directly affected learning outcomes that are reflected by placement performance of institutions. So, how did the State respond? After twiddling its fingers for about a year, the government launched a training programme in December 2024 for the faculty of all State universities and government colleges. The revised Bloom's Taxonomy, a framework to classify learning outcomes based on six cognitive levels — namely remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, and create — forms the core of the training programme. While the first two levels largely pertain to recall of the concepts, the next four levels require higher order thinking and problem solving skills. Improving quality of education 'In these training programmes, which are conducted in workshop mode, the teachers are being taught to write the course outcomes to align with the larger programme outcomes,' said M.P. Vijayakumar, Vice Chairman, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE), the agency with the mandate to improve the quality of higher education in the State. 'We want to build their capacity to frame analytical and problem-solving questions for evaluating students.' This change, he cautions, needs to be brought in gradually so as not to inconvenience learning. Giving an example, Mr. Vijayakumar said that for science subjects, investigation, which is a K4-level attribute in revised Bloom's Taxonomy, can happen essentially in a laboratory, but focus on laboratory curriculum has been lagging. So far, nearly 2,000 faculty members have been trained in about 20 sessions, but extending the programme to cover all 50,000 faculty members across the State appears a tall order. The Council has already trained 180 master trainers who would then train other faculty members. 'We would like to cover as much ground as possible within this academic year,' Mr. Vijayakumar added. Registrars and controllers of examination of all State universities have undergone this training. At the day-long workshops, the faculty members are given a rundown on Learning Outcome-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) formulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Outcome-Based Education (OBE) adopted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). They are then required to write their course outcomes to reflect the final programme outcomes. This is followed by a group discussion and feedback on the outcomes. As a follow-up to this, the Council plans to audit all question papers of State universities and autonomous colleges on the percentage of questions based on higher order thinking skills once the new form of evaluation is rolled out. It would take a while, years perhaps, to notice any tangible result, but these initial steps need to be taken and pursued doggedly.
Time of India
04-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
PG students to undertake mandatory coursework each semester under new higher education reforms
Indore: In a significant academic reform, the Higher Education Department has introduced mandatory coursework in every semester for postgraduate (PG) students, starting from the 2025-26 academic session. This shift comes under the newly implemented Ordinance 14(2) and aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the University Grants Commission's (UGC) credit framework. Currently, PG students follow a relatively theory-heavy structure with limited focus on practical learning. Coursework is usually confined to select subjects, and there is no structured requirement for semester-wise academic activities beyond lectures and final examinations. From the new session, PG students will be required to undertake semester-wise coursework that includes core subjects, value-added courses, skill-based and employability modules, practicals, seminars, and performing arts. The objective is to ensure a holistic and outcome-oriented academic experience similar to that in PhD programs. The minimum passing marks were also raised from 36 to 40. Additionally, students can now choose between a one-year PG diploma or a two-year master's degree, based on their career goals. Two separate one-year diplomas may also be combined to earn a full master's degree. A dual-specialisation option—one major and one minor subject—was introduced to promote interdisciplinary learning. Another innovative feature is the recognition of prior learning, where informal education and work experience can be credited, saving time and effort. All courses will now be assessed through a credit-based system, enabling better tracking of academic progress. The new curriculum follows the Learning Outcome Based Curriculum Framework (LOCF), integrating knowledge, skills, values, and employability. Officials believe the reform will make PG education more relevant, flexible, and aligned with industry needs. Ordinance 14(1) was also implemented for undergraduate programs, marking a comprehensive overhaul of the higher education structure.
