With no sight of easing of restrictions for educational institutions for another couple of months and online education now becoming the only option during the COVID-19 lockdown period, the Union HRD Ministry is weighing in all options to come out with a mechanism for the smooth conduct of online semester examinations and admissions-related entrance tests.

While the Ministry has already constituted two separate committees to recommend an online education model for the entire country and an online examination model, it is expected to get more clarity on the issues during the HRD Minister's video conferencing meeting with State Education heads and officials on Tuesday

The Committee, headed by IGNOU Vice Chancellor Prof Nageshwar Rao, is tasked to prepare the online education model and the other, led by Haryana Central University VC Prof RC Kuhar, is entrusted with the responsibility to draft an online examination model.

With inputs coming in during the April 28 meeting, another brainstorming session will be convened after a decision on the lockdown after May 3 is taken to deliberate on the pending semester exams all over and the new session admissions, including at the Delhi University where the process begins in the first week of June.

Before a final decision is taken, there will be a careful consideration of the reports of the two committees formed by the HRD Ministry.

"A separate UGC committee, the third such panel, has already submitted its report on the current situation and their recommendation for a delayed academic session," a top HRD official told The Pioneer.

The committee has recommended that the higher education academic session which ideally begins from July should be now pushed to September. Several entrance tests for admissions to engineering, medical, other professional institutions and colleges and general academics are on hold due to the corona scare lockdown.

The official said one formula doing the rounds is giving options to the students either to opt for an online exam from home or from the institute. This will entail benefit in the form that the institute load will be halved and the social distancing norm will be duly followed.

Ministry sources said the Delhi University is planning to conduct online examinations for its students enrolled in various under-graduate and post-graduate courses in the current academic session.

As per information, the Delhi University Computer Centre (DUCC) has been asked to develop a platform for conducting the examinations online. A few DU sources, however, said that there has been stiff resistance within the academic fraternity of DU.

One of the formats as of now at the deliberation stage in the HRD Ministry is that examinees will have to upload their answers, for instance for six questions shared to a candidate, he/she will have to record a video answer for three questions in response. Most of the Deans have, however, termed it "not feasible" given the present technical infrastructure in the country.