Introduction
In order to meet the special challenge emerged due to Covid-19 Pandemic and lockdown situations, the Mehran University of Engineering & Technology, Jamshoro, Sindh, has developed this Online Assessment/Examination Policy for direct assessment of the students’ learning. This policy is aligned with statutes, regulations, rules of the University and guidelines provided by Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad and Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC).
Conduct of Online Assessment/Examination Assessment Mechanism
Following are the four online approaches of Assessment/Examination selected for Mid/Final Semester Exam. (Ref. HEC Policy Guidance No.6 dated May 21, 2020).
- Open Book Assessment/Exam (A3 Type as per HEC)
- Teacher will develop separate Question Paper as per following table with no choice/option.
| Study Level | Number of Students | Number of question papers |
| Undergraduate Studies (UGS) | Upto 25 | 5 (Min.) |
| 26-35 | 6 | |
| 36-45 | 7 | |
| And so on | ||
| Postgraduate Studies (PGS) | Upto 30 | 3 (Min.) |
| 31-40 | 4 | |
| 41-50 | 5 | |
| And so on |
- Teacher will distribute Open Book Assessment/Examination question paper 10 minutes before the start time to all eligible students through MS Team.
- Teacher will follow the examinations schedule issued by the Controller of Examinations office, and fix the date, start & end time accordingly in MS Team.
- Teacher will enable the Turnitin plugin in MS Team to check the similarity of the submitted answers. The Chairperson/Director will ensure that every teacher has enabled the Turnitin option in the MS Team accounts.
- Attendance shall be recorded by the teacher on prescribed Performa and be submitted in PDF version to the Examinations Department through email.
- The Students shall have to submit the answers through MS Teams App, assignment section within 36 hours. The clear Handwritten answers can also be accepted from undergraduate (UGS) students only for the subjects/topics related to Mathematics, Numerical, Drawing and subjects taught in Urdu and Sindhi medium/languages such as Islamic Studies and Pakistan Studies. Postgraduate students shall submit softcopies/computerized typed answers through MS Team.
- In case of cheating/use of unfair means, the case may be reported along with the evidence to the office of Controller of Examinations.
- The Unfair Means Committee will review the cheating/indiscipline cases and propose the action.
- Multiple Choice Questions (Time Bound D2 Type MCQs as per HEC)
- These MCQs would be time bound and conducted through MS-Forms.
- The Teacher will develop the MCQs Question paper and conduct the online examination keeping in view the allocated time.
- The Teacher shall keep softcopies of assessed scripts in the record.
- Attendance shall be recorded by the teacher on given Performa and submit to the Examinations Department.
- Class Presentation /Demonstration (C1 Type as per HEC)
- To be conducted online / videoconferencing using MS Team.
- Student shall give presentation for the allocated time followed by questions & answers.
- The presentation may be based on displayed or distributed slides.
- Teacher will record the sessions as evidence and submit to the Chairperson /Director/Co-Director.
- Attendance shall be recorded by the teacher on given Performa and submit to the Examinations Department.
- Viva Voce / One-on-One Oral Exam (C2 Type as per HEC)
- Teacher will conduct online / videoconferencing-based oral Viva Voce Exam using MS Team.
- Teacher will allocate the time and announce the timetable where each student logs into the specified time slot.
- Teacher will record the sessions as evidence and submit to the Chairperson/ Director/Co-Director.
- Attendance shall be recorded by the teacher on given Performa and submit to the Examinations Department.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES (UGS)
Sessional Marks Allocation
Subject Teacher will conduct the quizzes/test(s), Assignments/Project/Presentation online through MS Team and assign the sessional marks accordingly, and keep record in the Course files.
Mid Semester Assessment/Examination
Questions, Time and Marks Distribution for Mid Semester Exam
Table 1: For 3 Credit Hours Subject
| S. | Component | Marks |
| *PBL based Case Study Presentation | 10 | |
| Viva Voice | 10 | |
| Total Marks | 20 |
*PBL= Problem Based Learning
Table 2: For 2 Credit Hours Subject
| S. | Component | Marks |
| PBL based Case Study Presentation | 05 | |
| Viva Voice | 05 | |
| Total Marks | 10 |
*PBL= Problem Based Learning
Final Semester Assessment/Examination
- Eligibility of students to appear in the Final Semester Examination
As per practice, the Teacher submits the Attendance Sheets to the Director MIS on regular basis. At the end of semester, Director MIS issues Eligibility Report. All Chairmen/Directors shall share the eligibility reports with concerned Teachers to allow only eligible students in the Semester examination. In case of mistakenly appearance of ineligible student, her/his exam will be treated as Null & Void.
- Questions, Time and Marks Distribution for Final Semester Examination
Table 3: For 3 Credit Hours Subject
| S. | Component | No. of Questions | Time | Marks |
| Open Book Assessment/Exam | 03 | 36 Hours | 30 | |
| MCQs | 20 | 10 Minutes | 10 | |
| Presentation | – | 15 Min. (Max) | 10 | |
| Viva Voce / Oral Exam | – | 10 Min. (Max) | 10 | |
| Total Marks | 60 |
Table 4: For 2 Credit Hours Subject
| S. | Component | No. of Questions | Time | Marks | |
| Open Book Assessment/Exam | 03 | 36 Hours | 15 | ||
| MCQs | 15 | 10 Minutes | 05 | ||
| Presentation | – | 15 Min. (Max) | 05 | ||
| Viva Voce / Oral Exam | – | 10 Min. (Max) | 05 | ||
| Total Marks | 30 | ||||
Submission of results of UGS
Every Teacher will upload the results in QOBE Software within specified time & submit to the Controller of Examinations the following:
- PDF of detailed report endorsed/signed by the teacher along with
attendance sheets through email.
- Teacher will submit repository of Answer Scripts of Open-Book Assessment and MCQs submitted/uploaded by the students in PDF, and their similarity reports to the Controller of Examinations through email.
- Teacher will keep the recordings of presentation and Viva Voce / Oral Exam in MS Team.
POSTGRADUATE STUDIES (PGS)
Sessional Marks Allocation
Subject Teacher will conduct the quizzes/test(s), Assignments/Project/Presentation online through MS Team and assign the sessional marks accordingly. Keep record of sessional marks in the Course files and submit to the Director at the end of semester.
Mid Semester Assessment/Examination
Questions, Time and Marks Distribution for Mid Semester Examination (PGS)
Table 5: For 3 Credit Hours Subject (PGS)
| S. | Component | No. of Questions | Time | Marks |
| Open Book Assessment/Exam | 02 (Min.) | 36 hours | 30 |
Table 6: For 2 Credit Hours Subject (PGS)
| S. | Component | No. of Questions | Time | Marks |
| Open Book Assessment/Exam | 02 (Min.) | 36 hours | 15 |
Final Semester Assessment/Examination
- Eligibility of students to appear in the Final Semester Examination
As per practice, the Teacher submits the Attendance Sheets to the Chairperson/Director MIS on regular basis. At the end of semester, Director MIS issues Eligibility Report. All Chairmen/Directors shall share the eligibility reports with concerned Teachers to allow only eligible students in the Semester examination. In case of mistakenly appearance of ineligible student, her/his exam will be treated as Null & Void.
- Questions, Time and Marks Distribution for Final Semester Examination (PGS)
Table 7: For 3 Credit Hours Subject (PGS)
| S. | Component | No. of Questions | Time | Marks |
| Open Book Assessment/Exam | 03 | 36 Hours | 30 | |
| MCQs | 20 | 10 Minutes | 10 | |
| Presentation and Viva Voce / Oral Exam | – | 15 Min. (Max) | 20 | |
| Total Marks | 60 |
Table 8: For 2 Credit Hours Subject (PGS)
| S. | Component | No. of Questions | Time | Marks | |
| Open Book Assessment/Exam | 03 | 36 Hours | 15 | ||
| MCQs | 15 | 10 Minutes | 05 | ||
| Presentation and Viva Voce / Oral Exam | – | 15 Min. (Max) | 10 | ||
| Total Marks | 30 | ||||
Submission of results of PGS
Every Teacher will submit the results through email within specified time & submit to the Controller of Examinations the following:
- PDF Award list endorsed/signed by the teacher through email during
lockdown situation.
- Teacher will submit repository of Answer Scripts of Open-Book Assessment and MCQs submitted/uploaded by the students in PDF, and their similarity reports to the Controller of Examinations through email.
- Teacher will keep the recordings of presentation and Viva Voce / Oral Exam in MS Team.
Instructions/Guidelines for Teachers:
- All components of assessment and examination will be taken online
- Schedule including date, start and end time shall be strictly followed.
- Teacher shall record the attendance of the appearing student and submit to the Controller of Examination in given Performa in PDF.
- Teacher will ensure that during presentation and viva voce, the student has kept his/her webcam on and computer screen shared accordingly.
- Teacher will take undertaking from the students regarding online examination.
- The concerned teacher will map CLOs and PLOs within all components of assessment and examination.
- Teacher will record all the proceeding during every assessment and examination.
- Complex engineering problem and problem-based learning (PBL) will be focused in the question paper of open book assessment/examination.
- In case of technical issue of disconnection, the student shall take screenshot showing disconnection/connectivity issue encountered with and share with the teacher immediately, before the online assessment/exam ends through WhatsApp/Email/MMS.
- The Chairperson/Director/Co-Director Concerned in coordination with Examinations department will re-arrange the exam of that student if the reason found valid as per evidence.
- In case of any misconduct found, the teacher may exclude the student and report the case of indiscipline/misconduct to the Controller of Examinations with proper justification/evidence.
- Student can raise the query regarding any question with the Teacher through sms/WhatsApp/email. The teacher may explain if feels necessary.
Instructions/Guidelines for Students:
- Student shall submit an undertaking regarding online assessment/examination.
- Schedule including date, start and end time shall be strictly followed.
- Students shall visit the University Facebook Page and portal of the University Examinations Department on regular basis to get exam schedule and check their emails to get necessary instructions from the teacher/department.
- Student shall also visit University website to check attendance and their eligibility to appear in the examinations.
- ● It will be the responsibility of the student to ensure the availability of suitable computer/device with stable internet connectivity and suitable place (Closed Room with silence) in order to avoid any disturbance.
- If any student do not have suitable device to take the exam, then she/he shall submit request (through application/email within two days of announcement of schedule) the Chairperson/Director to provide the facility within the premises of the University. In this case, particular student shall visit the department to take exam.
- During presentation and viva voce, the student will keep his/her video on and computer screen shared accordingly.
- Student is bound to be logged-in and be ready at least 10 minutes prior to start of exam.
- Student shall ensure the submission of answers of all attempted questions within prescribed time.
- In case of technical issue of disconnection, the student shall take screenshot showing disconnection/connectivity issue encountered with and share with the teacher immediately (through WhatsApp/Email/MMS), before the online assessment/exam ends.
- The Chairperson/Director/Co-Director Concerned in coordination with Examinations department will re-arrange the exam of that student if the reason found valid as per evidence.
- In case of any misconduct found, the teacher may exclude the student and report the case of indiscipline/misconduct to the Controller of Examinations with proper justification/evidence.
- Student can raise the query regarding any question with the Teacher through Email/SMS/WhatsApp. The teacher may explain if feels necessary.
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