The University of Rajasthan (RU) in Jaipur has rolled out a comprehensive set of examination reforms for its postgraduate students, which have become effective starting from the current academic session. The new guidelines, announced recently, mark a significant shift in how master's level education will be assessed and structured at the university.
Core Components of the New Credit System
Under the revamped framework, each semester of a master's course will now carry 36 or more credits. Students are mandated to complete all the credits they select during their semester registration. The postgraduate credit courses have been systematically classified into several distinct categories to provide a holistic educational experience.
These categories include compulsory core courses, elective core courses, seminars, project work, field study, self-study, and other supportive courses. It is important to note that these new rules are applicable only to regular students of the university.
The university has clarified that while each department must arrange for the delivery of all compulsory core courses and a selection of elective core courses, it is not binding on them to offer all elective core courses. The objective is to ensure students can complete the prescribed minimum number of credits for their program.
Strict Assessment and Attendance Rules
A central pillar of the reform is the implementation of a continuous and comprehensive assessment strategy. This approach is designed to monitor academic progress consistently and provide timely, constructive feedback to enhance learning outcomes.
Assessment will be conducted through a mix of regular assignments, quizzes, examinations, presentations, projects, and research papers. The university has set strict eligibility criteria for appearing in the final exams. Students must maintain a minimum of 75% attendance and secure at least a Grade C, which translates to 40% marks in each course paper, to be allowed to sit for the end-of-semester exams (EoSE).
Furthermore, if a student fails to secure the minimum 40% marks in the continuous assessment component for any course, they will be required to re-register for that specific course. Similarly, failing to achieve 40% in the EoSE will necessitate re-registration and completion of the course as a self-study course.
New Provisions for Revaluation and Improvement
In a move that extends greater flexibility to postgraduate scholars, the university has introduced provisions for revaluation of answer sheets and improvement in semester examinations. Previously, these options were available only for annual examination patterns, making this a notable expansion of student rights.
The new ordinance detailing these examination reforms was officially released by the University of Rajasthan on December 24. These sweeping changes aim to standardize the postgraduate curriculum, increase accountability, and ultimately improve the quality of higher education and student outcomes at one of Rajasthan's premier institutions.
