Absolute Pros and Cons Of Online Examination

The post-pandemic world has witnessed a tremendous change in the education system, especially in the classes that are being conducted and exams as well. Pen and paper are still the standards and preferred ways of communication in traditional institutions. 

However, with the ongoing global conditions as they are, the education department has been rapidly shifting towards the online mode. Many people are still wondering whether to choose online examinations or not, and some say online tests are amazing, while for others, it sucks. 

Due to the fact that this is the personal experience of individuals, there might be a lot of pros and cons of online mode of examinations.

Pros Of Online Examinations

1. Environmentally Friendly

One of the escalating pros of online examinations is the end of pen and paper mode, which requires a lot of paper. There is also a lot of waste due to errors and extra printing of the materials. Moreover, the amount of carbon footprint of the logistics around the paper is also tremendous. Therefore, online examinations are an eco-friendly option.

2. Saves Money

Online examinations save money in a lot of ways. Since everything is done in online mode, there is no printing cost or logistic cost. Offline examinations require you to pay for facilities and even invigilators to oversee the exams, but it's not needed in online mode. 

The only expenditure in online exams is admin support, IT support, internet charges, emails and other exam protocols, which are far less as compared to the traditional systems.

3. Saves Time

Online examinations are time-saving as compared to traditional exams. It not only saves the time of faculty members and admins to conduct the exams but also saves the time of students. People don't need to get ready and travel large distances to appear for an exam.

4. Convenience

A strong point of online examinations is their convenience. If a student has an internet connection and a device to access the test, then he can appear for the test from anywhere. In some institutes, you can also schedule your test per your time. In this manner, one can take the test at his desired time and place.

5. Safety

Using AI and other quiz maker tools to create a test eliminates the chances of cheating in an exam. It also reduces the chance of cheating even if a student is appearing from home, as he will be properly monitored to keep track of any cheating habits. In online mode, there is also no chance of exchanging answers when the system shuffles the questions differently.

6. Diversity

Nowadays, the software that is used to make a test is designed in a way to create multiple question sets of the same level. No doubt this model was present in the offline mode as well, but the online mode is much more efficient in making selective and objective types of questions. 

The examination layout also gives a chance to add many features, like save, mark for review, feedback option, check box options etc. All these things contribute to better examination experiences than the traditional system.

Cons Of Online Examinations

1. Devices

Devices are required to appear for an examination; whether it is a laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet, at least anything is required. An old device with a slower internet connection is not suitable to appear for the examination. This is because time is very important in online examinations, and if the device malfunctions, then the exam can become unpleasant. For some people, affording a suitable device is also a major challenge.

2. Internet Connection

A stable internet connection is required to conduct the test normally. If the internet connection is not stable or weak, then it becomes difficult to connect with the server. This can significantly affect the performance of a student on a test. Online examinations are not suitable for those regions that don't have a stable internet connection.

3. Challenges Of Technology

While technology is an advantage, it can also be a demerit if people are not able to use or understand it properly. Most of the older teachers and even the students are not acquainted with the online system, and hence it becomes a challenge for them. The transition from the pen and paper mode to the online mode may also take time and a lot of effort to be familiar with.

4. The Grading Issue

A common problem of the online system is the grading system, as not all the students get fair marks. Questions that require some sort of human interpretation need to be addressed by individuals so as to deliver the exact deserved marks by the students.

There can be a lot of advantages and disadvantages of online examinations. Still, since the entire education system is making a major change, it is necessary to adapt to the latest changes in examination patterns and modes.