63 pc of educational institutions for hybrid route to conduct exams: Report

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to affect the education sector, a report has revealed that 63 per cent of educational institutes in the world, including India, are in favour of hybrid route, a mix of both online and offline, for conducting exams. 

Mercer Mettl, a global leader in online talent assessments and remotely proctored examinations, has recently launched its annual ‘The State of Online Examinations 2021 Report 2021’, which outlines the impact of COVID-19 on examinations and the education sector’s pivot towards the digital ecosystem in the past 15 months.  

Over 650 respondents, including deans, head of departments, professors and other influential decision-makers, from over 150 educational institutions across 18 countries, participated in the survey.  

Acceptance of digital assessment tools 

The numbers indicate a broad-based and swift acceptance of digital assessment tools, highlighting the education sector’s readiness to adopt and leverage technology to offer exams.  

Almost 6 out of 10 respondents (57%) cite cheating as their primary concern in offering online examinations, suggesting that providing tests with integrity and in a sanitised environment takes precedence for academia over all else. 

Universities, colleges keen on using online platforms  

Universities and colleges have also posed a substantial wish list of features and services. For example, almost seven out of 10 respondents expect better mechanisms from online exam service providers to clamp down on cheating to ensure cheating-free virtual examinations, followed by 62 per cent who expect enhanced ability to stage multiple types of exams (MCQs, descriptive, diagram type, etc.). 

The numbers indicate that universities and colleges are keen on using online platforms and will offer directional cues to service providers to improve their offerings. There seems a symphony in play. 

Mercer Mettl CEO Siddhartha Gupta said education and examination practices have undergone tectonic shift in the past 15 months of the pandemic. Leaders, equally in the education and edutech sectors, must ensure mainstreaming tech adoption and insulate the education ecosystem from the current and unforeseen disruptions, he added.

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