Amid the global pandemic, IIM Sambalpur has announced they will now be conducting the end term examinations of the first-year students using online proctoring systems as well. This will be the first-of-its-kind initiative taken by any IIM across the country. The batch of 2019-2021 had to leave campus and return home before their examination started due to the lockdown.

Speaking on implementing the innovative digital solutions for both prospective and present students, Prof Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, said, “Although our major admission process as part of CAP 2020 along with the other IIM’s were completed before lockdown, however for the remaining process for around 400 candidates, we had to adopt online proctoring systems for Written Ability Test (WAT) and Online VC for Personal Interview (PI). We also had to postpone the end term exam of MBA first year due to lockdown and now we have decided to conduct that through the same process as well. Students can appear for the tests by logging in through their laptop/desktop at their home in different parts of the country. About 100 students will be appearing for the term end exam of 10-12 subjects. This system of conducting tests online allows more transparency in the process. Moreover, with the help of Artificial Intelligence, there is no scope of human error in invigilation during the exam. There is no wastage of paper and we can send the answer scripts to our visiting faculties sitting at their homes online, for scrutiny, quickly and more safely, instead of sending them via the postal system. We, therefore, plan to conduct all our examinations online, henceforth, even after we reopen once the circumstances normalize.”

Some highlights of the innovative technology:

• No scope of human error
• Substantial reduction in cost
• More transparency & convenient
• Monitors and captures retina movement
• No phone calls – exam will be disrupted immediately
• Reduces paper wastage and environment friendly
• Buffer time allowed for network disruptions

The third-party online proctoring portal will serve only as a platform for the students to appear and give the examination. The questions will be set by the faculty of IIM Sambalpur and the answer scripts will be scrutinised by them as well. The online proctoring system will allow each student to be monitored and invigilated through an AI tool so that they do not receive any external help for writing their answers. The interface will also capture the retina movement of the prospective candidates. The exam disrupts even if an examinee attends a phone call. Keeping internet disruption in mind, students will be allowed a buffer time for the exam as well.