AICTE Will Allow Books During Engineering Exams; GATE Isn’t Mandatory For Engineers!

Open book examination can dynamically change the very concept of examinations.

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AICTE allows books during engineering examinations
AICTE allows books during engineering examinations

National-level council for technical education in India: The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has unleashed an educational reform in India when it comes to engineering exams.

In a landmark decision, AICTE has decided to allow books inside the examination hall.

Will this help engineering students?

Meanwhile, AICTE has confirmed that GATE is not mandatory for engineering students, for exit exam.

Books Will Be Allowed During Exams: AICTE

Very soon, engineering students will be allowed to take their books with them, while writing examinations in their colleges.

AICTE-approved colleges will soon announce this for all engineering students.

Traditionally, exams have been conducted with a focus on memorizing the content in the books, and reproduce them in the answers sheet. But with Google now available in practical life (and in a job), this exam for reproducing knowledge has become old-fashioned.

AICTE now wants to see and judge what students can do with that information, rather than reproducing that information.

Ashok Shettar, chairperson AICTE committee on examination reform and vice chancellor KLE Technological University confirmed this, as he said, “The way we conduct exams traditionally only assesses students based on their ability to reproduce knowledge. Through these guidelines, we aim to reform the way we assess our students. We are aiming to match the assessment system with the outcome-based framework our education and industry has adopted based on performance indicators.”

AICTE approved colleges have been asked to prepare question papers differently now, which will focus on ‘application of the information and develop problem-solving abilities in students.’

This is part of Examination Reforms Policy by AICTE. Besides Open Book Examination, there will other reforms too, such as mandatory internships, research work, group projects and more.

Shettar said, “Our traditional system is unable to access students based on these soft skills including teamwork, communication skills, et al.”

AICTE: GATE Is Not Mandatory For Exit Exams

Earlier this month, rumors had started floating that from now on, GATE will become mandatory for all engineering students, sitting for exit exams.

This meant that an engineering student will not be able to get his degree unless he/she has a GATE score. Till now, GATE has always been an optional exam.

GATE is no doubt a very prominent examination of undergraduate students, conducted by Indian Institute of Science and seven Indian Institutes of Technologies at Roorkee, Delhi, Guwahati, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Chennai (Madras) and Mumbai (Bombay) on behalf of the National Coordination Board – GATE, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India.

Mainly, GATE is used for applying in post-graduate programmes, and in some cases of recruitments (by public and private firms), GATE score is considered to filter out eligible candidates.

This news of GATE being compulsory was published by Indian Express, and soon became viral.

AICTE has issued a press release, saying that this news is completely false. They have said that GATE is not compulsory for exit exams.

Here is the press release from AICTE.

Do you think that to filter out eligible candidates, GATE exam should be made compulsory? Do let us know by commenting right here!

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5 Comments
  1. Abinesh says

    It is a good idea. But this idea will be followed in practical is good.By memory the formula and practical is not a good.By prepareing the own project by the students and explain about it is usefull and it helps the students to improve their knowledge their self

  2. Abinesh says

    If this method will be followed to write lab practical it is vry usefull .If we do any project and explain about that is becomes usefull.By study and memories the formula and after leave the memories if practical is useless.

  3. Prof. Dr. N. G. Savagave, Sangli says

    1. Open book exam is ok. Q papers should be set differently which helps students, how to apply the knowledge instead of just reproducing skills.
    2. But, similar to GATE one exit exam should be there which will take care about the basics, fundamentals and their relevance in practical field or Industry to enhance the employability of engineering graduates. It will certainly help to engineering graduates for industry acceptance.
    Thus, the End Exam is must without which Degree will not be awarded. This will save the collapsed engineering educational industry which will be helpful in meeting the shortage of good engineers. Otherwise, this will lead to scarcity or a big problem of non availability of good engineering graduates within 3-4 years, for nation building.

  4. Supraja says

    I think it will be benificial for the students and with the internships, projects practical knowledge of the students will get developed

  5. Jade says

    GATE may not be mandatory anymore? Man, this is going to get interesting…

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