The Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, T.C. Shivashankara Murthy, has completed more than a year in office. Since he took charge on March 3, 2010, the University has executed examination and academic reforms and is improving its infrastructure. He spoke to The Hindu EducationPlus recently about this process. Here are excerpts of the interview.

T.C.Shivashankara Murthy, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, during the interview; (right) Mr. Murthy explaining the new evaluation system to evaluators of answer scripts. Photo: Special Arrangement

Q: Which are the main student-oriented examination reforms done in the last one year?

A: We now issue computer-generated examination admission tickets. Each such admission ticket contains a photograph of the student with his/her signature, signatures of the Registrar (evaluation) and principal of the college, and the time table of the course for which the student is appearing.

We have done away with issuing multiple answer sheets to students. Instead, only one answer book is being issued.

The answer books have bar coded stickers which ensure the confidentiality of a student who appeared for an examination. Coding, decoding and recoding are done using bar coded stickers.
Form A (on which an evaluator enters marks after valuation) has been replaced with OMR sheets.
There are no more ledger books having details of marks of students. They have been replaced with computer-generated ledger sheets.

How do the ledger sheets help?

Ledger sheets contain details of marks of students. The University sends a copy to each college with the marks cards. In case of clarification, colleges can refer to the ledger sheets. Earlier, college authorities had to come to the University to look into the ledger books for clarification.

What about announcement of results?

Now we have been able to declare results within two to five days after completing the regular evaluation of a course. Revaluation of results is being announced in a month. Earlier, announcing revaluation results used to take eight to 10 months.

Which are the other examination reforms?

A central valuation method has been adopted for evaluating answer scripts of postgraduate examinations. Under this, postgraduate teachers cannot take answer scripts home.

Both internal and external evaluators have to evaluate them at a designated place in the University. Earlier, the method was adopted for evaluating answer scripts of undergraduate examinations.

We will revise our examination manual. A committee had been constituted for the purpose. The manual has not been revised since the University was constituted under Mysore University. We will have our own examination manual.

Could you tell us about major academic reforms?

We introduced the choice-based credit semester system for postgraduate courses, except four, from 2011-12.

It helps students to handle inter-disciplinary subjects. Mobility of students to study choice-based subjects between colleges offering postgraduate courses and between colleges and the University will be allowed.

The University gave affiliation to 14 new colleges in 2010-11. In 2011-12, it gave affiliation to two new colleges and in addition has recommended affiliation for six new colleges.

It has brought out a comprehensive prospectus for admission to post-graduate courses.
New courses have been introduced in the University College in Mangalore and Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa College at Madikeri. Both are constituent colleges of the University.

What about research and infrastructure development?

Different rating agencies have ranked the University from the first slot to the 24th slot in different research areas. The University is building a Pareeksha Bhawan, a building to house different study centres, a humanities block building and a building for commerce courses.The University has received grants from the Union government and the University Grants Commission for research activities. It is planning to open a Kannada Adhyayana Samsthe-hindu.com