Pune University Adopts 36-Page Main Answer Sheets, Bids Farewell to Supplementary Ones
Pune, 15th February 2024: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has taken a bold step to reduce waste and combat exam malpractices by eliminating supplementary answer sheets in the upcoming March-April examinations. The university plans to increase the page count of the main answer sheet, which features a hologram, from 24 to 36.
The decision aims to cut down on the nearly one crore answer sheets required each exam season, leading to cost savings in production, according to Mahesh Kakade, Director of the Board of Examinations and Evaluation Powers and Duties at SPPU.
A scientific study guided this move, ensuring that students will have ample space to write their answers without facing any difficulties. Kakade explained, “The committee has studied how many pages a student can write on in an hour on average, considering factors like the number of words written per minute. The new system has been designed with a main answer sheet of 36 pages to accommodate two- and three-hour papers.”
This system not only addresses paper waste but also saves money, as Kakade pointed out, “After the main answer sheet is over in the exam, students demand supplementary sheets. Often, a few pages of this answer sheet remain unused. Besides, the transportation, printing, and handling of the supplements incur extra costs.”
The decision to eliminate supplementary answer sheets comes in response to concerns about potential malpractices, as these sheets are not numbered. Instances of inquiries and fines have been reported in the past.
Kakade highlighted another issue, stating, “We have also noticed that some colleges used these extra supplements meant for semester exams for internal administrative work.”
In the new system, students can write answers in the entire remaining part of the answer sheet, excluding the margin. The committee observed that many students draw extra margins on both sides of the page, prompting the Board of Examinations and Evaluation to emphasize the need for students to avoid extra margins to save space and paper.
