Technology and innovation would soon propel the Patna University (PU) postgraduate departments towards timely publication of results.

At the postgraduate (PG)-level, PU authorities have plan-ned to evaluate answer scripts on computers. Fifty per cent of the examiners will be from the university. Students taking admission to PG courses in the 2012-13 academic session, the first semester of which is slated to start in August, would not have to wait for results once the new systems are in place.

PU vice-chancellor (VC) Shambhu Nath Singh said: “The PG-level results in the semester system have to be published on time to help students aspiring for higher studies outside the state on time.” He added that the manual evaluation process would be scrapped and the answer scripts would be evaluated electronically.

The PU administration has engaged Mind Logicx, a Bangalore-based company, to provide logistics for the computerised evaluation of copies. Singh said: “We have introduced the system as a pilot project this year for evaluating BSc final-year answer scripts. Computerised evaluation also helped us declare the results of the undergraduate-level entrance examination on time. BEd and MEd results were declared within three days since the examinations ended.”

As part of the new system of evaluation, the scanned answer scripts will be uploaded on the computer and teachers have to evaluate the copies electronically. Rash Bihari Singh, a PU geography teacher, said: “Earlier, an evaluator used to take 8 to 10 minutes to check copies. The time will now be reduced to 4 to 5 minutes.”

For theory papers, 50 per cent evaluators will be from the university. Earlier, the university had to depend on teachers from other universities for evaluation. For a paper carrying 100 marks, the students would be evaluated internally (preferably by PU teachers) for 30 marks. The theory portion would account for the remaining 70 marks. Rash Bihari Singh added: “As part of the internal assessment, the students will be assessed for seminar, project work, quiz, punctuality and regularity.”

Niraj Kamal, a final-year history student of Patna College, said: “If postgraduate results are declared on time, students planning to take admission to universities outside Bihar will get a chance to apply on time.”