Examinations are a Necessary Evil
English Essay on "Examinations are a Necessary Evil"
The system of evaluating the students’ performance through examinations is not a new practice. It is an age-old method. The critics of examination feel that examinations are not a reliable test of a student’s ability. They encourage cramming, as students study only out of fear of failing in the examinations. Besides, they feel it is not possible to mark all the papers uniformly without prejudice. However, examinations are necessary, because there is no uitable alternative to test students; all round progress — mental ability, originality, productivity, independent thinking — by developing proper methods of testing and evaluation.
Examinations are an age-old method of evaluating students performance. They are regarded as a curse by the students. The approach of an examination sets the students hearts pounding. They are left with the choice of either dropping out or applying themselves to working hard. There is no escape from them for any student wishing to do well in life. There is no short cut to success. No wonder, days before examinations are to commence, the schools, colleges and universities appear deserted. Students are given preparation-time to get ready for taking the examinations.
Examinations are held to test students’ mental ability and to assess the work they have done during a term to determine whether they have been utilising or wasting their time. Teaching and testing go hand in hand and at every stage of scholastic activity, some type of test is used to measure the performance of the pupils. The concept of measurement is not something new, we need some sort of tool to serve the purpose. A teacher cannot help asking himself whether what has been taught by him or her has been means of knowing the level of a student’s understanding obviously the answer is to conduct periodical tests.
Examinations are indeed a necessity because it is only the fear of examinations that makes students work. They know that they cannot hope to fare well if they do not study. The fear of failure and humiliation spur them on to work hard, even if, only when the examination is approaching. Examinations, therefore, act as an incentive to effort and hard work. If there were no examinations, the merits of the various students could not be judged, nor would the majority of them take an interest in their studies.
The critics of examinations argue that the examinations are not a reliable test of the ability of the students. They support their arguments by pointing out the shortfalls in the examination system. They feel examinations encourage cramming. A student with a cramming power may just study for two months and do better than another students who has studied throughout the year and has developed his ability to think critic ally and independently. Even his teachers may agree that he is the brighter of the two, yet the marks tell another story. So examinations are nothing but a game of chance and skill.
Similarly, they feel, not wrongly, that the standard of marking can never be uniform considering the number of examinees and examiners. No examiner can humanly check all the papers on one subject of a particular class. So there is every likelihood of the personal moods and approach of an examiner affecting his marking. Some students may benefit from the lenient approach of an examiner, while others may suffer because of the strictness on the part of the other. Consequently, a marginal case would have to keep his fingers crossed and pray that God may send. his paper for evaluation to kind person.
In view of these arguments, if examinations are scrapped, then what alternative method can be used to measure the student’s knowledge? Most educationists now agree there is even a national debate going on the issue — that a final examination is not to be the only test of ability. They insist upon a series of practical tests, weekly tests, objective tests in which instead of marks, grades are awarded. The results of all these should be taken into account while making an annual performance report of a student. Although this approach is practical, it does not resolve the issue of doing away with the examination system. On the other hand, students feel under constant press are when such an approach is implemented. They are then left with no time for leisure and hobbies.
Another alternative is that the teachers should keep a record of the daily progress of the students and that no examinations should be held. This is a kind of internal assessment method. It was in fact practised in ancient times, when teaching was considered a very noble profession. But today, the teachers are not above narrow prejudices and human weaknesses of character. There is every possibility of their personal likes and dislikes affecting the assessment of the students no such method has yet been devised which can bring uniformity in marking soleiy on the basis of the performance.
Some complain of the element of chance in the examinations. Sometimes, a student may not be able to make it to the examination hail due to fever, accident or some other calamity that befalls him. A death in the family of a near and dear one can be very disturbing and is likely to affect the performance. However, such cases are rare. An element of risk and chance is in everything we undertake to do. It is restricted to examinations only. Since no alternative method has yet been discovered to test a student’s performance and ability objectively, examinations are a necessity. However ever, the tests and evaluation systems should be so designed that they make a real test of student’s mental ability, originality and faculty of critical thinking.
This will make the students more regular, attentive and interested in their studies. Therefore, we can say that examinations are a necessary evil. We cannot do away with them. This is the only method so far discovered to distinguish between the fit and the unfit, a scholar and a duffer, and a worker and shirker. Each individual has a high opinion of himself.
Examinations are an age-old method of evaluating students performance. They are regarded as a curse by the students. The approach of an examination sets the students hearts pounding. They are left with the choice of either dropping out or applying themselves to working hard. There is no escape from them for any student wishing to do well in life. There is no short cut to success. No wonder, days before examinations are to commence, the schools, colleges and universities appear deserted. Students are given preparation-time to get ready for taking the examinations.
Examinations are held to test students’ mental ability and to assess the work they have done during a term to determine whether they have been utilising or wasting their time. Teaching and testing go hand in hand and at every stage of scholastic activity, some type of test is used to measure the performance of the pupils. The concept of measurement is not something new, we need some sort of tool to serve the purpose. A teacher cannot help asking himself whether what has been taught by him or her has been means of knowing the level of a student’s understanding obviously the answer is to conduct periodical tests.
Examinations are indeed a necessity because it is only the fear of examinations that makes students work. They know that they cannot hope to fare well if they do not study. The fear of failure and humiliation spur them on to work hard, even if, only when the examination is approaching. Examinations, therefore, act as an incentive to effort and hard work. If there were no examinations, the merits of the various students could not be judged, nor would the majority of them take an interest in their studies.
The critics of examinations argue that the examinations are not a reliable test of the ability of the students. They support their arguments by pointing out the shortfalls in the examination system. They feel examinations encourage cramming. A student with a cramming power may just study for two months and do better than another students who has studied throughout the year and has developed his ability to think critic ally and independently. Even his teachers may agree that he is the brighter of the two, yet the marks tell another story. So examinations are nothing but a game of chance and skill.
Similarly, they feel, not wrongly, that the standard of marking can never be uniform considering the number of examinees and examiners. No examiner can humanly check all the papers on one subject of a particular class. So there is every likelihood of the personal moods and approach of an examiner affecting his marking. Some students may benefit from the lenient approach of an examiner, while others may suffer because of the strictness on the part of the other. Consequently, a marginal case would have to keep his fingers crossed and pray that God may send. his paper for evaluation to kind person.
In view of these arguments, if examinations are scrapped, then what alternative method can be used to measure the student’s knowledge? Most educationists now agree there is even a national debate going on the issue — that a final examination is not to be the only test of ability. They insist upon a series of practical tests, weekly tests, objective tests in which instead of marks, grades are awarded. The results of all these should be taken into account while making an annual performance report of a student. Although this approach is practical, it does not resolve the issue of doing away with the examination system. On the other hand, students feel under constant press are when such an approach is implemented. They are then left with no time for leisure and hobbies.
Another alternative is that the teachers should keep a record of the daily progress of the students and that no examinations should be held. This is a kind of internal assessment method. It was in fact practised in ancient times, when teaching was considered a very noble profession. But today, the teachers are not above narrow prejudices and human weaknesses of character. There is every possibility of their personal likes and dislikes affecting the assessment of the students no such method has yet been devised which can bring uniformity in marking soleiy on the basis of the performance.
Some complain of the element of chance in the examinations. Sometimes, a student may not be able to make it to the examination hail due to fever, accident or some other calamity that befalls him. A death in the family of a near and dear one can be very disturbing and is likely to affect the performance. However, such cases are rare. An element of risk and chance is in everything we undertake to do. It is restricted to examinations only. Since no alternative method has yet been discovered to test a student’s performance and ability objectively, examinations are a necessity. However ever, the tests and evaluation systems should be so designed that they make a real test of student’s mental ability, originality and faculty of critical thinking.
This will make the students more regular, attentive and interested in their studies. Therefore, we can say that examinations are a necessary evil. We cannot do away with them. This is the only method so far discovered to distinguish between the fit and the unfit, a scholar and a duffer, and a worker and shirker. Each individual has a high opinion of himself.
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