Final Exams: SPRING 2013

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad Campus

Index of Content

SOPS FOR CONDUCT OF FINAL SEMESTER EXAMINATION .......................................................... 4 Guidelines for setting up the question paper............................................................................... 4 Guidelines for printing of Question papers ................................................................................. 4 Conduct: ...................................................................................................................................... 5 General Points ............................................................................................................................. 7 Timing ......................................................................................................................................... 7 Guidelines for checking of Answer Sheets ................................................................................. 8 Submission of Results ................................................................................................................. 8 REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE USE OF UNFAIR MEANS AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IN THE EXAMINATION'S 2006 ..................................................................... 9 PREAMBLE ............................................................................................................................... 9 TITLE ......................................................................................................................................... 9 COMMENCEMENT .................................................................................................................. 9 APPLICATION .......................................................................................................................... 9 Definitions................................................................................................................................... 9 UNFAIR MEANS IN EXAMINATIONS ................................................................................ 10 COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH THE USE OF UNFAIR MEANS ....................................... 11 PROCEDURE FOR ACTION AGAINST OFFENDERS ....................................................... 11 PENALTIES ............................................................................................................................. 12 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER HEADER ............................................................................................. 13 GUIDELINES FOR PAPER MARKING .............................................................................................. 14 APPOINTMENT OF SUPERINTENDENT STAFF ............................ ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. FORMAT EXAM MINUTES ................................................. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Terminal Examinations for session Spring 2013 are scheduled from 2nd July to 16th July 2013. This document contains SOPs for the conduct of the final examinations. It also details guidelines for formation of paper, marking of answer sheets, regulations related to the use of unfair means and academic dishonesty 2006, notification related to the superintendents, format report to be submitted by superintendent as well as exam department independently, and sample question paper header.

The measures outlined in the document are implemented in letter and spirit. This makes the use of unfair means in examinations almost impossible.

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

SOPS FOR CONDUCT OF FINAL SEMESTER EXAMINATION

Semester System as opposed to the annual system of studies is dramatically opposite to each other where the onus of responsibility is entrusted to the teacher for imparting knowledge, evaluating the standard of the class, bringing the entire group up to the required level of competence in the subject taught and conducting the final semester examination. Here, it is incumbent that in view of the above, the teachers, especially our new faculty, not only realize the heavy responsibility entrusted to them, they should discharge the same with diligence in the spirit and manner expected for the semester system. Given below is the sequence for the conduct of final semester examination, which we expect all departments and faculty to carry out in letter and spirit in which it is being conveyed. GUIDELINES FOR SETTING UP THE QUESTION PAPER 1. Question papers should be set in such a manner that all answers are recorded on the answer sheet. This is particularly true for Multiple Choice Questions. All MCQs must be solved on separate answer sheet, which will be collected before starting the subjective part of Question Paper, no solution on question paper is acceptable. It is recommended that the question papers are to be set in the following manners. 3. Objective question i.e. MCQs, fill in the blanks, true/ false etc: Short answer questions: Long answer questions: 35% to 50% 35% to 40% 30% to 40%

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It is also recommended that the question paper should contain 50% of easy questions 25% of moderate questions and 25% of difficult questions. Question paper should be set out of 50 marks as the final weightage is 50 %.

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GUIDELINES FOR PRINTING OF QUESTION PAPERS 5. 6. All Question papers will be printed in the examination Section. The Examination Section will observe following timings for printing of question papers. a. 7. Monday- Saturday: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

The faculty members are required to have their question papers photocopied at least 48 hours before the examinations. This measure is taken to avoid any problem that may arise either from load shedding or mal-functioning of the printing machine. It is required that the faculty members should bring the hard copy of question papers by themselves and not by runners, research associates or any third persons. Typing and Printing from Computers of Examination Section is not allowed in any case. The faculty members are supposed to collect all the question papers including any paper that is mutilated by the printing machine. They should log this information in the register.

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Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

10. 11.

No Faculty member is allowed to handle Photocopying machine himself / herself. Not more than one faculty member can be present at the time of printing of question papers. If more than one-faculty members are present at the same time then the other faculty members will be required to be seated away from the printing machine. Stapling of Question Papers is not allowed in Examination Section to avoid unnecessary rush of faculty members. After the papers are printed and counted the faculty member is required to personally place these papers in an envelope and seal it by using scotch tape. The envelope should be sealed and kept safe by the concerned faculty member himself.

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CONDUCT: 14. Examination Hall will be checked, cleaned and properly locked. It will be opened fifteen minutes, before the start of paper and the charge handed over to the senior faculty member/course teacher. After the Examination, all personnel will be cleared out of the Hall, which will be cleaned and locked again, and the process repeated for the next paper. (Manager Admin will depute the administrative staff to ensure compliance after every examination / paper). Course Teacher will be responsible for the conduct of the examination as per examination schedule issued by the Examination Section. There shall be a proper mechanism to mark the attendance of invigilators in every examination hall during the stipulated time (i.e. 15 minutes before start of paper till end of paper). An invigilator shall mark his/her attendance (time in / time out) after entering and before leaving Examination hall, in an attendance document prepared for this purpose. The course teacher will detail one invigilator at the entrance to ensure that only those students who have a valid examination Entry Coupons are allowed inside the examination hall. No invigilator shall leave the examination hall during the paper without any justified reason; those who leave examination hall during the exam, for any reason, shall enter their time out, reason for leaving the examination hall and time in (as and when they resume their invigilation duties) in the above mentioned attendance document. The same attendance document shall be submitted to administration along with the papers and other relevant documents after the paper. Free seating shall not be allowed. A proper seating plan shall be prepared for every paper, which shall be displayed outside the relevant examination halls and notice boards one hour before the start of paper in case of terminal exams 30-40 minutes in case of sessional examinations. Once the seating plan is displayed, no student shall be allowed to enter/sit in the examination hall till the arrival of the invigilators. Invigilators shall allow only those students to enter the examination hall whose name is present in the list of the students permitted to appear in the exam in that particular hall.

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Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

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Examination Section will ensure that answer sheets are issued to course teachers at site, ten minutes before the start of Examination. These will be numbered and acceptance obtained on the register. The invigilators shall be handed over properly counted answer books and extra sheets. The invigilators will return the same number of sheets, solved plus unissued, after completion of the paper. In both the cases proper record shall be maintained for any future reference. All the legally permitted students appearing in exams are required to sign the student attendance sheet provided by the institute. Only computer generated (from the student database) student attendance sheets shall be circulated. Nobody shall be allowed to add names on the computer generated attendance sheets (whether by hand or type/print). It will be ensured that the answer and spare sheets are initialed with dates by the course in charge / invigilator detailed. All answer sheets will be stamped by the examination Section. Students shall be allowed to enter the examination hall only on proving their identity as well as permission to sit in the paper (through valid document issued by the campus for this purpose). Campus shall make necessary arrangements to issue temporary documents, may be on payment of a prescribed fee, in case of loss of the original one. Such facility shall open at least one hour before the start of the examination so that student should not face any difficulty. Campus should, anyhow, device a mechanism to ensure that no ingenuine document is issued. No student shall be allowed to leave/go out of examination hall for a short period except in extreme cases. Even in such emergencies the student shall not be allowed to go out alone. S/he must be accompanied by one official on duty. The student shall handover the question paper, answer sheet, and any other paper/document issued to her/him to the invigilator before leaving her/his seat. Any student who leaves the examination hall without permission of the invigilator shall not be allowed to enter in the examination hall and resume her/his paper again (i.e. the paper shall be considered to have been completed/concluded at the moment when the student left the examination hall). Depending on the situation, a disciplinary case may be initiated against the student leaving the examination hall without permission. Teacher shall also ensure that the answer sheets used by the students carry the signatures/initials of the invigilator on duty in the relevant examination hall. In case any answer book or any attached extra sheet used by any student is found without signatures/initials or with signatures/initials different from those of the invigilator on duty in the relevant examination hall, then the paper shall be forwarded to UMCC for further decision.

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Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

GENERAL POINTS 30. An announcement will be made before the start of the Examinations that students will not be allowed to go to the washrooms during the Examination and no excuse will be accepted. However in case of emergency it will be ensured that the washrooms will be scanned /cleared of any written/prescribed material like wise for the boys. Mobile phone and any other electronic gadget shall be strictly prohibited in examination halls. Such items, if found in possession of any student during the paper/exam, shall be treated equivalent to other such material that can be used for cheating. They shall be confiscated and sent to the UMCC which shall decide about the penalties to be imposed to return such items, if at all. It is recommended that jammers and recording cameras may be installed in the examination halls, wherever possible. Students shall not bring any item, other than those required to attempt the paper fairly, in the examination hall. They shall leave all their belongings (at their own risk) outside the examination hall. Use of unfair means will be dealt severely by the teacher concerned and final action will be taken on the spot. The invigilators who detect any case of use of unfair means should, make a written statement on the answer sheet of the student and hand it over to the teacher concerned for final action. The teacher concerned should then initiate action and report it in writing to the respective HOD within 2 hours of the finish of the paper. An Unfair Means Committee will be constituted and notified to tackle the cases of unfair means and shall finalize the cases on daily basis within 24 hours. Course Teachers / Invigilators should not only ensure that there is no talking by the students, they should also ensure that there is no disturbance to the students by the Teachers / Invigilators / other staff. Too many students asked questions during the examinations. This may be due either the Questions not being clear, OR the students want to get hints for solving the paper. This must be clarified at the start of the paper and no questions entertained subsequently. It has been observed that some course in charges read out the paper word by word before the start, resulting in wastage of 10 to 15 minutes. This practice should be avoided.

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TIMING 38. 39. The question paper should be so formulated that it is of three hours duration. Course Teachers / Invigilators detailed as per examination schedule must ensure their presence at the correct time and place to avoid delays / disturbances in the conduct. All papers will start simultaneously on time as given in the examination schedule issued by the examination Section on the instruction of the present senior faculty member. No student will be allowed to leave the examination before half time.

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Course in charge should ensure that students are seated five minutes before the start time.

GUIDELINES FOR CHECKING OF ANSWER SHEETS 43. Each answer should be marked as tick / cross and the marks should be clearly specified for each answer. If a question has subsections then for each section the marks should be specified and total marks should be given before each. Blank pages of answer sheet should be crossed to avoid any future use. MCQs and additional used answer sheets should be stapled with the main answer sheet. On the front page of main answer sheet the marks for each question should be clearly given and cutting / over writing should be avoided. The course teacher is required to sign the front page of each answer sheet right below the total marks.

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SUBMISSION OF RESULTS 48. The course in charges will mark the respective answer sheets immediately after the examinations and show the marked papers to the students for confirmation of the marking and any discrepancy therein. The answer sheets will be shown to the students in some classroom or open space and not in the offices. It will be ensured that the students do not change the marks during this perusal by keeping a docket sheet of the marks allotted with the teacher. After confirmation of the marking and results all faculty members are bound to submit the marks out of 50 on final award list which will be signed by the teacher and countersigned by HOD. A copy should be retained and the original be submitted to EXAMINATION section for publication by the due date given in the semester schedule. No amendment or change in the final award list will be accepted NOR expected to be requested by the teachers once they have submitted the same to EXAMINATION for publication. Thus it should be realized that it is not only against the spirit of examinations, it is also a cause of heartburn and agitation amongst the students, creating innumerable difficulties and problems for the campus administration. Marked answer sheets will be sealed in an envelope, signed by the teacher and countersigned by the HOD, will be submitted in Examination Section along with signed copy of award list within 4-6 days of conduct of examination. A representative of the Examination Section will be available in the Examination Hall during the timings of the examinations for any consultation or help. In case of emergency the Deputy Controller of Examinations may be contacted on telephone No 378 OR 382.

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Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE USE OF UNFAIR MEANS AND ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IN THE EXAMINATION'S 2006
PREAMBLE 1. Whereas it is necessary to maintain integrity of the system of examination and evaluation at all levels of education and to create utmost trust in the degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by the Institute, and whereas all examinations must be conducted in an environment of maximum fairness, the ensuing Regulations define acts of unfair means in examinations, prescribe penalties and lay down procedure for due process against violators of the integrity of the examination system.

TITLE 2. These regulations, framed in pursuance of Section 18 (2) (g) of the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Ordinance No. XXXVIII of 2000, for the establishment of the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, shall be called the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Regulations Relating to the Use of Unfair-Means and Academic Dishonesty in the Examinations, 2006.

COMMENCEMENT 3. These Regulations shall come into force with immediate effect.

APPLICATION 4. These Regulations shall apply to all students of the Institute.

DEFINITIONS 5. In these regulations, unless there is anything repugnant to the subject or context, the following expressions shall have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them as under: (b) Campus means a constituent campus of the institute; (c) Campus Unfair-Means Control Committee means a Committee constituted on a campus for the stated purpose, and hereinafter shall be referred to as the Committee in these Regulations; (d) "Director" means the Director of a Campus; (e) Institute means the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology; (f) Officer In Charge of Examinations means an officer appointed as such on a campus, for the stated purpose and hereinafter shall be referred to as the Secretary
Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

of the Committee, under these Regulations; (g) "Rector" means the Rector of the Institute; (h) "Student" means a student of the Institute; (i) "Teacher" means Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant Professors, Lecturers and Research Staff, engaged on whole time basis by the Institute for teaching at the Institute, and such other person as may be recognized to be Teachers by the Board. All other terms and expressions used in these Regulations shall have the same meanings as assigned to them under section 2 of the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology Ordinance, 2000 UNFAIR MEANS IN EXAMINATIONS 6. The following shall constitute acts of unfair-means during an examination: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) Using hand signals during an examination. Procuring or divulging information to a student pertaining to the examination question paper. Concealing notes on clothing, hands, caps, shoes or in pockets. Supplying to a student during his/her examination, answer to a question that may or may not be contained in the question paper. Copying from any paper, book or note, or any electronic device, or allowing any other student to copy the answer, or using or attempting to use these or any other unfair means. Possessing papers, books, notes, any electronic device, or any material which may possibly be of assistance in the examination, and which have been explicitly prohibited in the examination. Giving or receiving unlawful assistance during an examination. Impersonating or falsely representing a student in the examination. Replacing an answer book or any portion thereof. Mutilating an answer book by way of tearing off pages. Impeding the progress of an examination by any means whatsoever. Assaulting or threatening to assault any person in charge of an examination. Possessing fire-arms or anything capable of being used as a weapon of offence during an examination. Falsifying an examination result by any means including the substitution of answer books, mutilation, or alteration of the examination records, etc. Approaching or influencing an employee of the Institute to act corruptly or dishonestly in the conduct of an examination, declaration of examination result, or marking of paper or obtaining secret information relating to an examination. Intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as ones own in any academic exercise, and failure to attribute direct quotation,

(f)

(g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l) (m) (n) (o)

(p)

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

paraphrase, or borrowed facts, information, or prose. (q) Mutilating, altering, interpolating or erasing a certificate or other document or any record maintained by the Institute, or in any manner using or causing to be used, a certificate, document or record, knowing that it is mutilated, interpolated or erased. Any such offence which is deemed to constitute the use of unfair-means.

(r)

COMMITTEE TO DEAL WITH THE USE OF UNFAIR MEANS 7. (a) The Campus Unfair-Means Control Committee shall normally consist of: (i) Chairman / Head of a Department, to be nominated by the Director, or the Rector, as the case be (ii) Three teachers from different Departments to be nominated by the Director, or the Rector, as the case may be (iii) Officer In Charge of Examinations Chairman

Member

Member/Secretary

The term of office of the members, other than the ex-officio, shall be two years. (b) The Secretary shall be responsible for calling meetings of the Committee as and when required; for maintaining the record of its deliberations; and for further actions if the Committees decisions are challenged at any forum. The decision of the Committee by majority shall be final, otherwise the matter shall be referred to the Director or the Rector, as the case may be, who shall either decide the matter at himself/herself, or refer it back to the Committee for review. The Committee shall reconsider the case, whose decision, or otherwise, the decision of the Director, or the Rector, as the case may be, shall be final.

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(d)

PROCEDURE FOR ACTION AGAINST OFFENDERS 8. When an incident of malpractice occurs, the examiner/invigilator/teacher shall immediately stop the student(s) from continuing the malpractice. The following procedure against the offender(s) shall be observed: (a) The examiner/invigilator/teacher shall demand signature on the documents used in malpractice, from the accused student(s). In case the accused student(s) refuse(s) to sign, the fact shall be noted in writing in the examiner/invigilator/teachers report.

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

(b)

The examiner/invigilator/teacher shall report the matter with evidence to the chairman/head of the department concerned in writing, immediately upon the completion of the examination in which the malpractice had occurred. The chairman/head of the department concerned shall forward the matter to the Secretary of the Committee for further processing. The Secretary shall issue a show-cause notice to the accused student(s) giving him/her/them a reasonable opportunity to reply.

(c)

(d)

The Secretary shall then call a meeting of the Committee in consultation with the Committees Chairman, to which the accused student(s) shall also be called to defend himself/herself/themselves. If necessary, the Committee may call the reporting examiner/invigilator/teacher to its meeting for further clarification. The findings/recommendations shall be submitted to the Director, or the Rector, as the case may be, for approval.

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(g)

The Secretary shall communicate the decision of the Committee to the accused student(s) and to all other concerned. In case an involvement of an employee is proved in the malpractice, the findings and recommendations of the Committee shall be sent to the Director, or the Rector, as the case may be, for appropriate action in accordance with the Employees Efficiency and Discipline Statutes.

(h)

PENALTIES 9. The penalties for using unfair-means in examinations may be any of the following or a combination thereof: (a) Cancellation of the examination paper in which the unfair-means were used. (b) Cancellation of a portion of the paper in which unfair-means were used. (c) A fine of upto Rs. 20,000/- commensurate with the offense. (d) Cancellation of the entire examination result of a semester, whether or not already completed, wherein the malpractice occurred. (e) Cancellation of the entire course to which the examination paper was related. (f) Disqualification from appearing in examinations for a specified period. (g) Rejection of the research report, dissertation, or thesis when found guilty of plagiarism. (h) Expulsion from the rolls of the Institute. (i) Rustication from the Institute. (j) Forfeiture of degree / diploma / certificate.

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER HEADER COMSATS Institute of Information Technology

Abbottabad

Department of ________________________________
TERMINAL EXAMINATION - Fall 2012 Class: _________ Subject: _________ Total Time Allowed: 3 hours Name:___________________________ Date: _________ Instructor: ___________ Max Marks: 100 Registration #______________

SECTION-A (Time allowed:____ ) (Marks: ____)

This portion will consist of questions (Multiple choice, fill in the blanks and True / False) Marks weightage 35% - 50% of the total marks SECTION-B (Marks ____ ) This portion will consist of short answers questions Marks weightage 30% - 40% of the total marks SECTION-C (Marks ____ ) This portion will consist of long answers questions Marks weightage 25% - 40% of the total marks

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus

GUIDELINES FOR PAPER MARKING

Paper must be marked with Red Pen. A line must be drawn across any blank pages to confirm the answer sheet has been checked to the end. If an answer have components/sections, allocate marks to each component and write marks in the right hand margin of the page, either as a single number or as a fraction of the possible marks for that component (e.g. either 3 or in acceptable). Do not circle these component/sections marks.

Write marks of the whole answer in the end of answer (right hand side) and circle. Total obtained marks in each question must be written on the front cover of the answer sheet. Check each answer step by step and write remarks in the margin. Identify weaknesses and strengths of each answer and write in the margin. In case of changing marks/overwriting due to mistake, there must be signature of the teacher. Calculation of all marks should be done carefully. Ensure that all pages/questions have been marked, all additions are correct, the candidates marks have been appropriately allocated in the light of the question, and all totals have been correctly transferred to the cover of the answer sheet.

The cover page of each answer sheet must be signed after mentioning the marks. MCQ/Additional sheets used by the students must be stapled with main sheet. No separate bundle of additional sheets/MCQ should be maintained.

Final Exams; CIIT Abbotabad Campus