Challenges for Question Paper Generation and Distribution Process during Exams

The process of generating and distributing question papers for exams is a critical part of the assessment process, and it requires careful planning and coordination to ensure that students have access to the materials they need to succeed.

However, in today’s digital age, the question paper generation and distribution process are faced with a number of challenges, including security concerns, difficulties in creating and distributing printed materials, and the need to accommodate a variety of learning styles and preferences.

In this article, we will explore the key challenges faced by educators and exam administrators in the question paper generation and distribution process, and we will offer strategies and best practices for overcoming these challenges and ensuring that students have the resources they need to succeed.

Examination process is one of the key areas of education administration and student grading process. There are many stakeholders who need to work in a co-ordinate fashion to make the entire examination process along with result processing a seamless process with 100% accuracy.
The examination process is becoming more tech-savvy and students are expecting a fair examination process and quicker result declaration by autonomous institutions or universities.

The following are some of the key stakeholders of the process

Traditional Question Paper Generation Process
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1. Subject Matter Expert

A subject matter expert is a person who has expertise in a particular subject/ topic of the particular stream/ semester. This person needs to study the syllabus of the particular subject and define the question bank pool according to question types, difficulty level, total marks, etc.

An educational institution or university needs to have a pool of questions in the question bank which can be used as a ready reference while defining examination question papers for a particular semester/stream and year.
 
Subject matter experts can be located in different cities or different locations. Educational institutions or universities need to call those people at a central location and initiate a question bank preparation process according to the syllabus. Coordination and logistical activities may incur costs for this process.
 
Technology like Question Authoring Tools / Question Bank Management can help to simplify the process where one or more subject matter experts can log in and define question bank according to hierarchy like Subject Name, Topic Name, Difficulty Level, Marks, Objective/ subjective question, diagrams, etc.

2. Question paper Design (Paper Setter)

Considering that the question bank is defined for each topic/ subject/ subtopic as per the syllabus. The next crucial step is to define one or more question papers as per the syllabus defined for the exam. Question paper must follow guidelines and examination question paper pattern defined. 
 
A Paper setter is a person who can select a random set of questions from the pool of available question banks to define question paper for the examination process. Paper setters need to ensure that the question paper defined is as per university guidelines.
 
Online Question Paper Generation tools can help to simplify this process. Paper setter can log in to secure software systems and define question papers using simple workflows and guidelines. The total time required to define the question paper would be drastically reduced with the software solution approach.

3. Moderator

The moderator is the person who needs to validate question papers defined by the paper setter. The moderator is also a subject matter expert for a particular subject. Moderators need to ensure the following things-

  • Question Paper is defined strictly as per the syllabus and guidelines defined.
  • No question is out of syllabus or out of context of the question paper
  • There are no errors or spelling mistakes in the question paper.
  • Approve one of the question papers for the final examination Process.

In case the moderator is travelling or situated in a different city then the above-mentioned activity may not be possible. So, travelling and logistics is one of the key tasks, and they can add to the delay in the question paper generation process. In the traditional process, a moderator needs to visit the central hub where question papers can be kept at a secure location for verification and validation.

Online Question authoring and Question Paper Generation can help education entity to simplify this process. The moderator can be situated at any location and can log in to a secure software system to validate question papers defined by the paper setter.

4. Controller of Examination (COE)

Controller of examination
The controller of examination (COE) has a critical role to administer, and monitoring the entire examination activity right from defining the examination schedule, question paper generation, and conducting the examination process to result in a generation.
COE needs to monitor all streams, subjects, and semesters for the above-mentioned activity. Manual management of this work can be tedious and difficult to monitor.
Software systems and tools like Question Paper Generation Systems can help the controller of examination (COE) to monitor and control the entire process using a software solution. COE can keep track of the below activities using a software solution

  • Define the scheme of the examination paper in the system
  • Assign Paper Setters, Subject matter experts, and Moderators for the software system
  • Monitor the progress of each stream, subject for examination activity
  • Analysis for particular subjects where question paper generation activity is delayed.
  • Monitor Daily/ Monthly snapshots using the central dashboard.

5. Question Paper Printing and Delivery

Generation of question papers is one of the tasks and delivery of it at each exam centre as per the exam timetable is another critical task. Security and secrecy of question papers during delivery are critical factors for the success of the overall examination process. Universities spend a lot of administrative and logistical costs to professionally manage the delivery of the question papers.
 
Examination question papers need to be printed at a secure printing location. The examination co-coordinator needs to ensure that physical copies of the question paper reach the examination centre as per the number of students registered at the respective examination centre. A bunch of the question papers should be sealed and signed prior to sending them to the examination centre.
 
The authority at the examination centre is allowed to open this seal 60 to 90 minutes prior to the examination process. The examination authority team should be present while opening the seal and the process of signing and auditing should be followed to ensure that the question paper bunch is opened with the standard process.

This is a completely manual process and involves administrative and logistical problems. Especially if you consider there are more than 100 exam centres then the number of people and entities involved would be very large. Manual activity is prone to errors and there is a high probability that question papers may get leaked during the transit period from the educational institutions to the examination centre.

In order to eliminate the manual process, online question paper delivery can be implemented. It helps to securely deliver digital copies of the question paper to the examination centre.
Exam centre authority is allowed to access digital copies using a one-time password and at a specific date and time as defined during online delivery. It helps to eliminate the administrative and logistical costs of managing question paper delivery.
 
Have you faced any such challenges during the examination process?
 
Please share your feedback at info@eklavvya.com we would be glad to assist you to overcome your challenges of question paper generation and delivery.

Digital Question Bank

About Eklavvya Online Question Paper Generation and Delivery

Eklavvya platform has come up with a unique solution to manage the entire process of question paper generation and delivery. More than 100,000 question papers have been generated using our software solution.

Our solution has helped many universities and institutes to save the substantial cost of managing question paper generation and delivery process. 

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We, at East Africa University, with seven scattered branches, had to suddenly shift our examination to online because of a new government policy that was intended to limit the coronavirus epidemic spread.
Technologically, we were not ready for such unexpected instructions to move to an online examination. However, we found Eklavvya, which came from the blue moon, to fit our needs. Another big surprise for us was how Eklavvya had also appropriated its remote proctoring system with our requirements. It is hard to shorten our excitement and honest feeling about how Eklavvya and its proctoring system fit our needs with a friendly user system.
Prof Abdisalam M Issa-Salwe
East Africa University

Eklavvya platform is amazing to conduct secure online exams for Graduation and Post-graduation courses. We have successfully conducted remote proctored assessments for our PG Courses.
The Eklavvya platform has simplified our examination process to a great extent.
It gives the flexibility for students to take the exams from home while being remotely proctored by Ekavvya’s Proctors. We truly appreciate this platform for Subjective type exams


Kalavathi A S
Indian Institute of Plantation Management

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