APERA Conference 2006 28 – 30 November 2006 Hong Kong 1 Public Examination- Means or Ends of Evaluation SREEKANTH, Yagnamurthy Lecturer, Department of Educational Measurement and Evaluation National Council of Educational Research and Training, India. Abstract: India with its long history of more than five thousand years has produced varied patterns of evaluation procedures that are as diverse as its geographic, socio-economic and cultural conditions. Oral evaluation in the form of questions and answers was given emphasis in student evaluation until the advent of British. At present, it has been largely held by the experts in the field of educational evaluation in India that examinations have become memory based and not much emphasis is given to higher mental abilities. It is felt that undue importance is given to Public Examinations, which are considered as one-stroke solution to the myriad purposes (problems). There are various aspects in the evaluation of students’ performance in social sciences, which needed detailed analysis. The present study of quantitative and qualitative analysis of question papers (sequencing and appropriateness of test items, assessing difficulty levels, structure and usage of action verbs etc.,) has indicated that there are wide variations and major drawbacks in the setting of question papers, their design, blue print, marking scheme and question wise analysis etc. It also shows that there are inherent weaknesses in public examination leading to varied and low students performance for which more then students the paper setters and evaluators may be held responsible. In addition to this an analysis of attitude of students towards the examinations and the stress level also does not give a bright picture of the Public Examinations. Hence it is time to realize the importance of initiating measures for reducing stress from the minds of students by de-emphasizing on external/public examination. Some of the steps proposed but still that have not received public support such as grading, continuous and comprehensive evaluation and weightage to internal evaluation have to be given due attention in addition to making the system of examination foolproof. Keywords: Public Examination, Evaluation, Social Sciences, Question paper, Examination stress Ever since human civilization has started education has been considered as a necessary phase to initiate the child into mainstream of social life. The fragmented communities of ancient times had their own ways and means of inducting the child into the social, cultural, economic and religious etiquette and practices for their survival and progress. With the increased modernization, industrialization and globalization the informal systems have become highly formal, learning has become goal oriented rather than being for all-round development, mechanical processes have replaced human aspects and global priorities have isolated local needs. In the comatose system of education, which considers humans as cogs of a wheel, the public examinations are fabricating a rat race to endorse the success or failure of a student. The suicides of some desperate students who have failed in examinations or not delivered to the level of expectations of the parents and family, is an example of what ghastly shape these examinations have taken. In this context, it is necessary to study the public examinations, their history, relevance, how students perceive them, what imperfections it contains and what measures can alleviate the situation. Assessment in the past In the ancient India during Vedic Period ‘Gurukul system’ of education prevailed (Mukerjee, 1958) wherein the children would go and spend their formative years in the