While state universities are awaiting permission to hold exams from the central and state governments, a Jamshedpur-based college has already started conducting their final semester exams online, setting an example for others.

The Jamshedpur Women’s College in Bistupur is conducting their final semester undergraduate exams and postgraduate exams through the Testmoz application.

The exams, which started last week, were held across 22 departments for around 9000 students.

The autonomous college did not want to delay its schedule and thus decided to use technology as a tool, registering with the app and conducting mock tests to make students get used to the new form of online exams.

“We decided to use the app but we were apprehensive. However, the times are such that we had no other way out. The college initially made the students practice so that they know the rules and regulations. After two rounds of practice, we went for the final exams,” said Shukla Mahanty, principal of Jamshedpur Women’s College.

The college has also set up a helpline number as this was the first time ever students are facing an online exam.

Mahanty said that the question papers consist of a set each of objective and subjective-type questions.

After the question paper URLs are uploaded and shared, students write their answers in the allotted space.

After submission, the college professors prefer to take out a printout of each answer sheet for evaluation.

“Though the answer sheets can be digitally evaluated within the application, we prefer to keep a copy for future reference. In the past four days, we have realised that the method of online examinations has been successful,” said Mahanty.

Gradually, the college intends to introduce this mode of examinations for students of other semesters.

Students have felt the need of online examinations too.

“When other universities are awaiting a date, we are already taking our exams. Technology has its advantages. Initially we faced some problems as this was a new mode but then we adjusted. The college also floated a helpline number for us and that was indeed helpful,” said Jyotsna B, a final year PG student of the college.