Offline assessments in India prevail because of the limited access to technology especially in semi-urban or rural areas of the country. Not all the organizations, schools, colleges have computer and internet facilities relying on paper and pen-based tests seem a good option. Though offline assessments require more human resources and management if there is no access to technology than online assessment is the only option.
In this modern world where people are highly interested in e-examination or online assessments because of the unlimited benefits, it has to offer. With online assessment, there is no barrier to travel or communicate either with invigilators or teachers. The respective candidate can choose any date and time according to their conveyance.
The distance alienation remains no longer there because you can give exams either from your home or any preferred place.
However, people refrain from online assessment especially in rural or semi-urban areas of the country because they are unaware of the technology. India being an old-age country, a large proportion of the country prefers pen and paper. Without internet reliability, online examinations are not possible. It is very difficult to ensure everyone’s internet access. Through offline assessment only we can reach a level where everyone is on the same page. Offline assessments without the internet are meaningless. Apart from internet connections, everyone needs computers and laptops.
Usually, Test Delivery Providers arrange offline exams in remote locations where the majority of people prefer local servers. Some universities and colleges want to avail of both auto-scoring and on-screen manual marking. Sometimes the default marking scheme set in the system is unfair to a group of people. In this competitive world, people suffer from even a small percentage.
The changes in security are more in the offline assessment. This is so because nothing is hidden in one system which can be cracked. Some universities and colleges like Indraprastha University in Delhi take all the entrance exams manually on an OMR sheet and later scan it and mark it. The chances of giving wrong marks are also minimized.
After an online exam, scanning and transporting all the exam sheets requires a lot of time and effort. But with an offline examination, once the exam is over all the sheets are collected there only.
With offline assessments, you can set random papers for different people. With online assessments, we can’t do it. This is so because an online assessment management company will set a standard paper for all the candidates. One of the most important things when it comes to offline assessments is the software. One should store all the necessary details in one place. So, the risk of losing a necessary document is minimized. This will also ensure the correct details of all the candidates.
We hope through this blog we have given a detailed insight on what is offline assessment and why do people still prefer it in this modern age.
