The Future of Examinations
Just finished a week of finals. 3 days, 3 exams - back to back. Fun? Err..., lesse.
As someone who must have given close to 300 exams in my life so far (don't worry, if you study long enough, you will too), I find it extremely surprising that no one has ever thought of changing the way exams are arranged. If they really want to motivate you to do well, this is what they should do:
The Scene: An Exam, circa 2010.
The Paper: CAT
As the candidate prepares to enter the examination hall, he is stopped at the entrance.
Cut to voice over and searchlights:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this contest is scheduled for one Fall, with a winner take all policy."
Introducing, in this corner, the 25 time champion, the master of the 3-way disaster, the king of confusing options - I give you CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Imaginary crowd gives raucous roars, quickly drowned out by the boos)
"Aaand, now, introducing......the challenger - from Bombay, India, weighing in at 125 pounds (135.45873, if you count the bag, the pencil and the eraser), with a brain that has tackled many fine examinations before, *insert heroic sounding name here*."
Our hero enters to the tune of "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. (tada dan, tada dan, tada dan, tada dan.....).
The imaginary crowd is growing wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More and more loud chants of approval!
Searchlights from all corners of the room in GTB, Chinchpokli, Bombay are focussed on our last hope! The pencil and eraser glint menacingly in the soft, cold light! Concentration is etched in the furrows of his forehead, as complex equations chase each other in his head, occasionally interrupted by vivid scenes of battles with Chengiz Khan.
Now, if they made examinations like this, don't you think the world would be a far better place? Definitely! And why stop there? Let's have live commentary as to what's happening - a line-by-line commentary if you will.
And, at the end of it all, the invigilator comes to you and raises your arm in victory.
Now, THAT'S an Examination!
As someone who must have given close to 300 exams in my life so far (don't worry, if you study long enough, you will too), I find it extremely surprising that no one has ever thought of changing the way exams are arranged. If they really want to motivate you to do well, this is what they should do:
The Scene: An Exam, circa 2010.
The Paper: CAT
As the candidate prepares to enter the examination hall, he is stopped at the entrance.
Cut to voice over and searchlights:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this contest is scheduled for one Fall, with a winner take all policy."
Introducing, in this corner, the 25 time champion, the master of the 3-way disaster, the king of confusing options - I give you CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Imaginary crowd gives raucous roars, quickly drowned out by the boos)
"Aaand, now, introducing......the challenger - from Bombay, India, weighing in at 125 pounds (135.45873, if you count the bag, the pencil and the eraser), with a brain that has tackled many fine examinations before, *insert heroic sounding name here*."
Our hero enters to the tune of "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. (tada dan, tada dan, tada dan, tada dan.....).
The imaginary crowd is growing wild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
More and more loud chants of approval!
Searchlights from all corners of the room in GTB, Chinchpokli, Bombay are focussed on our last hope! The pencil and eraser glint menacingly in the soft, cold light! Concentration is etched in the furrows of his forehead, as complex equations chase each other in his head, occasionally interrupted by vivid scenes of battles with Chengiz Khan.
Now, if they made examinations like this, don't you think the world would be a far better place? Definitely! And why stop there? Let's have live commentary as to what's happening - a line-by-line commentary if you will.
And, at the end of it all, the invigilator comes to you and raises your arm in victory.
Now, THAT'S an Examination!
posted by Firebringer at 2:45 PM
6 Comments:
will there be any parley in it?
well written - interesting perspective of the exam..but i would be too much under pressure due to all the attention...specially when i would want to make a guess...that is when i dont know the answer of course...:)
doc's diagnosis : too much schooling laddie, it's time you said enough
i was telling yank or buffy sometime back... remember CAT 04 as we exited? swore not to write that damn test again. stuck to our oaths we did :)
make that stick to our oaths
aaaaand after a 2 month gap...the sister is back....hmm i wonder where u got the kashmir idea from???nice idea though i agree the pressure is too much...
wouldn't that make you just a teensy little bit nervous? or maybe it's just me...
although for the girl who caused a 15-minute halt in the gr. 7 literature exam by bursting her stress ball and having to pick up the filling beads which had scattered themselves all over the floor and over fellow classmates' desks, i suppose anything would be better.
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