DUB Speak

Internal Assessments: The Underappreciated Semester Saviours

Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

They say conditioning takes time to wear off, especially so when it has been for as long as fourteen years. But this hardly ever holds true when faced with collegiate novelty immediately after a decade and a half of stylised educational habituation in school. It takes a couple of months or a year, in worst cases, for a student to calibrate himself to the newness and surprisingly, the adaptation in most cases is flawless.

Once through the strait-laced academic architecture of a school, the relatively amenable ambiance of a college is easy to conform to. However, in the midst of this seemingly opportune transition, it is likely for a student to be led astray, in the face of fast pacing, unprecedented freedom.

One characteristic trait common to both college and school is the dreaded tests, known as internals in the former and formative assessment in the latter. While both cater to the same purpose on different levels, their psychic interpretation is somewhat different. In school, the fear of failing in one was remarkably upsetting and brought with itself shame and disappointment but on the contrary, performing miserably in a college test garners close to no remorse from the student because the programming is such that it ceases to attach due to relevance to score cards at the bachelors level.

It is not entirely wrong to suggest that marks are, in fact, not an accurate representation of an individual’s potential and knowledge is not the freehold of institutional grading methods, but insinuating a complete detachment from the same and nurturing an indifferent attitude towards internals cannot be a strait-jacket solution to everything that we feel is wrong with our education system.

It takes a lot more than a few bad remarks by the professor for a college student to realise the importance of internal examination, and it is usually much later in the semester that they realise their folly.

Back during the time when their minds are muddled in the murky waters of a couple hundred assignments and society commitments, the added responsibility of studying for an internal naturally weighs them down. But as college students, almost standing on the threshold of this unrelenting world, it is absolutely necessary to be able to know how to effectively manage the available resources and put them to their best possible use.

Internals help in fulfilling the requisites of the final examination by providing the students with an established reason to familiarise themselves with a part of the entire text for the purpose of instilling in them the habit of routine study. Equipping them with the needful well in advance helps in progressively building a sound ground for preparation during the semester-end exams.

The announcement of a formal test never ceases to entrench a certain degree of anticipation in an individual and if this likely expectation is provided with a sound breeding ground consisting of the willing attitude of a student and his undying effort, it will ensure steady gains in the future. However, if this is not put to regular practice, it will only result in repeated failure.

A paper specific internal helps in inculcating a sense of completion with regards to particular topic(s) and imparts confidence. Also, a well-practiced portion of the study material stays with the student for a relatively long period of time and rids him of unwarranted anxiety a week prior to the final examination.

Nobody wants a four-month heavy academic baggage to hang like an albatross around one’s neck and to ensure that it does not, it is imperative to provide for ample time and effort to internal tests and assignments.

 

Image Credits: DNA India

 

Lakshita Arora

[email protected]

 

Journalism has been called the “first rough draft of history”. D.U.B may be termed as the first rough draft of DU history. Freedom to Express.

Comments are closed.