EXAMINATION IN SEMESTER SYSTEM: WHAT IS OBSERVATION OF FACULTY AND STUDENTS?

Abstract

The examination is an organized system of evaluating and estimating students’ academic abilities and performance. It is a standardized procedure to measure quantitatively or qualitatively through verbal or non-verbal behaviors. It can also be defined as a means of measuring knowledge, skills, feelings, intelligence, or aptitude of an individual or a group. Both the annual and semester systems of examination are in practice simultaneously at university level in Pakistan. This paper is a case study that discusses the students and teachers’ perception toward the semester system of examination at university level in Pakistan. A small sample consisting of 270 students and 45 teachers of different departments of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan includes both the Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan Campuses was taken from the representation of all the programs of the university. A 34-item questionnaire on 5-point Likret scale was administered to the students. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 18. The results of this study revealed that most of the students disagreed with the semester system of examination due to a number of drawbacks like favoritism, biases, and subjectivity. The students criticized the other negative aspects of semester system of examination as well. Contrary to this, the teachers agree with the semester system of examination to some extent as compared with the students’ perception.