No change in IGNOU exam format

NAGPUR: Last month, the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) had announced its decision to defer the December term-end exam till February first week, still some confusion persisted among students. Though IGNOU has put the details on its web portal, some students sought clarity on the validity on exam fee, form validity and eligibility.
P Sivaswaroop, regional director of IGNOU (Nagpur), said the varsity will be proceeding with the traditional pen/paper exam format.“The exams are scheduled to start from February first week. It will be held for all eligible students,” said Sivaswaroop.
In Maharashtra, IGNOU students were the only ones who appeared for a the pen-paper exam in September/October. The open university had neither changed the exam format nor relaxed passing marks nor altered the mandatory written assignment submissions.
Speaking to TOI during that time, IGNOU vice-chancellor Nageshwar Rao had stressed about maintaining the ‘credibility’ of the exams. Other varsity students in Maharashtra had it much ‘easier’ with home-based online exams and some even went with negligible passing marks rule.
Sivaswaroop clarified that the examination form and fee submitted for June 2020 exam shall still be valid when the exam is held in February 2021. IGNOU was unable to hold its June term end exams due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In September/October, the university held exams only for final year/semester students, as mandated by University Grants’ Commission (UGC).
The ‘leftover’ students would have got a chance to appear in the next round, which is the December term end exams. However, with Covid-19 situation still not fully under control, IGNOU has deferred the exams till February. Sivaswaroop said, “All the exam forms in the database will be automatically carried forward. So non-final year/semester students who had filled the exam form and paid the fee for June 2020 do not have to do anything again. All those submissions will remain valid for February 2021.”
He added that even those final year/semester students who could not appear for the exam in September/October, will get this benefit in February.
EXAM DETAILS
* December term-end exam rescheduled to February
* Final timetable yet to be declared
* Exam form already filled will be valid for February
* Exam will be in traditional pen-paper format