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Goa University - Semester System
- Jason Soares , TYBA Journalism
The ‘semester system’ that replaced the age-old
‘term system’ is into its second year. The system that was introduced last year
in colleges around Goa for the very first time has evoked a good response from both,
the students and lecturers. The change that was long overdue is aimed at bringing
Goan colleges on par with the national ones in terms of curriculum and evaluation.
Students under the earlier system were evaluated
based on papers set by the Goa University which were out of 100 marks each. Students
had to answer two exams, one in October and the other in March, and were graded
for that particular year only. If a student failed to clear a particular subject,
he or she had to clear it at the end of the year to proceed to the next class.
The new system however is based on a whole new
concept. There are two modes of exams - Semester End Examinations (SEE) and two
internal exams called Intra Semester Assessment (ISA) - in which the papers are
out of 80 and 10 marks each respectively. ISA exams are conducted throughout a given
semester by using modes of evaluation such as classroom quiz, seminars, presentations,
objective/written tests, assignments, orals, etc. Students are assessed twice in
ISA during a semester with the option of assessing more than twice given to the
teachers, in which case the best two are considered.. These carry 20% of maximum
marks allotted for the paper/course. The SEE papers are set by the university. The
major difference between the earlier system and the new one is that the marks obtained
by a student in all of the three years are taken into account when results are declared
at the end of the final year. Also, a student failing to clear a particular subject
is promoted to the next year, provided he/she clears that paper before the final
theory paper. If a student is absent for one test, there is always a second chance
to make up for the earlier one.
When asked as to how the lecturers have taken
this new system in their stride, Aaron Paul Fernandes, an English lecturer at St.
Xaviers’s College, Mapusa remarked, “The earlier system was based on ‘tabula rasa’.
But now the students are very serious as they cannot take it lightly. As far as
the workload is concerned, it has increased with more paperwork to be done but its
part of the job. One has to take the burden to progress.” But he also added that
if a person does badly in any one year it would reflect in his final year results
as the marks of all three years are taken into account.
Cajetan Raposo, a Political Science lecturer,
says that the new system is based on a continuous evaluation. “Students are forced
to study on a continuous basis instead of the two terms that they normally would
have. The results have shown that there is a considerable improvement as compared
to the earlier batches under the old system.” He also added that more optional papers
like gender studies, human rights and women issues have been introduced, thus enabling
students to choose the subject of their preference.
When asked as to why the change has taken a very
long time to come, former principal of St. Xavier’s College, Prof. Newman Fernandes
replied, “I was appointed chairman of the committee to reconstitute the undergraduate
curriculum. We submitted the report and recommended the system which was afterwards
approved by the Academic Council. So it took two years for implementation since
some had their queries regarding the new system.”
Rajendra Kanekar, head of physics department in
the same college, says the change was necessary. ”All the institutions internationally
and nationally such as the IITs, MBAs, etc, have gone for this kind of assessment.
Therefore we cannot lag behind them.” He also added that the new system allows for
more freedom as it is flexible.
The students also seem to have taken the change
in good spirit. Says Tracy D’mello, a first year Arts student, “We have Shakespeare’s
works that are included in the curriculum. As an avid fan of Shakespeare, having
to study his novels is quite interesting.” Although her friends do not agree with
her entirely, she has found this system good so far. “The new system actually pushes
students to work a little harder”, opined Vanessa D’souza from Saligao. However,
both of them suggested that there is still scope for further improvement in the
system.
Lyndon Pinto, who is in his second year under
this new system, initially thought that it was bad, but thinks it is a positive
development. “The good thing about it is that though it makes you study the whole
year round, one is better prepared to answer the exams when they eventually come.”
As a student under the old system, Prasheel Kelkar,
a final year psychology student says, “I was curious to know all about this new
system which is quite different from ours. It has been designed to suit every need
of a student. Adding more subjects has definitely broadened the choice from which
one can choose a particular subject of his or her interest.”
The new system is a welcome change as far as college-level
education in Goa is concerned. The world has become a much more difficult place
to be in. Therefore students have to be well trained to survive the rat race. As
Prof. Newman aptly puts it, “The changes introduced have responded to the need of
the hour. In a competitive world, our students must have opportunities to excel
in every sphere. These opportunities are provided in the new system, thus enabling
them to excel and score on the higher side.”
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