Normalisation of scores for the Common University Entrance Test (CUET)-UG is likely to be done away with this year, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) planning a rejig of the crucial exam for its third edition, according to top officials.
The exam, which is spread over a month, is likely to be conducted in a shorter duration as the agency is contemplating a hybrid mode, including OMR sheets and a computer-based test. The move will also ensure that most of the students get a chance to take the exam in a city of their choice.
"The NTA is working on the possibility of conducting papers with a large registration in the OMR mode. This will help us choose a large number of schools as test centres. This will ensure that the students will get a centre within their town or city and do not have to travel to faraway places," University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar told PTI.
"Adopting the pen-and-paper mode for subjects with a large registration and a computer-based test for papers with a smaller registration will ensure that the CUET-UG can be conducted in a shorter duration unlike in the last two years. The hybrid mode promotes equal opportunities for all, ensuring that geographical constraints do not hinder the students' educational aspirations in rural and remote areas," Kumar said.
He said conducting the exam for a subject on a single day will eliminate the need for normalisation of scores.
"For the last two years, we had to conduct the test for the same paper over a period of two or three days in our endeavour to provide the first-choice centre to the students as much as possible. But this year, by adopting the OMR mode, a large number of centres will be available at schools and colleges, enabling us to conduct the test across the country on the same day.
"If the test is conducted on multiple days for the same paper, normalisation is required and it is a scientific method," the UGC chairman said.
Students have been raising concerns about the normalisation of scores "unfairly" impacting their performance in the exam.
Another feature that is part of the CUET-UG's rejig plan is restricting students to appear for a maximum of six papers.
"This year, instead of attempting 10 papers, students will be permitted to write a maximum of six papers. The rationale behind this decision is that only a tiny percentage of students opted for 10 papers in last year's test. However, the scheduling of the papers becomes very complex, leading to conducting the test over several days.
"Since students can write six papers in different combinations, such as four domain papers, one language paper, one general test paper or three domain papers, two language papers and one general test paper, the CUET-UG can be scheduled over fewer days, which is good for the students," Kumar said.
The UGC chairman said the difficulty level of the questions in the CUET-UG will be moderate because students are more likely to perceive it as a fair and manageable challenge.
"Ensuring a moderate difficulty level in an entrance test for university admission can contribute to reducing the students' reliance on coaching centres. We want to keep the difficulty level of the questions in the CUET-UG moderate because students are more likely to perceive it as a fair and manageable challenge.
"Answering such reasonably difficult-level questions can improve the students' intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy, as they will believe in their ability to prepare for and perform well in the test without undue external help. This positive feeling experienced by the students diffuses from one batch to another and reduces their dependency on coaching," he said.
The CUET-UG is the second-largest entrance exam in the country in terms of the number of applicants. As many as 11.11 lakh candidates had appeared for the second edition of the exam.
"The hybrid mode acknowledges the importance of adapting to diverse testing environments for the convenience of the students. This will ensure that we will be able to announce the results by the third week of June. HEIs (higher educational institutes) can then carry out admissions and start the academic session by the end of July or beginning of August," Kumar said.
