QUESTION TIME: N. Aparna of Edutech giving details about the test in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. AU Vice-Chancellor L. Venugopala Reddy (centre) looks on. — PHOTO: C.V. Subrahmanyam

VISAKHAPATNAM : After holding computer-based English language practical examination for 55,000 students last year, Andhra University is ready to conduct the test for double that number during January-February this year.

Andhra University was the first university in the State to conduct the test with Acharya Nagarjuna University following suit, and was appreciated by the AP State Council of Higher Education for taking up the exercise, said Vice-Chancellor L. Venugopal Reddy at a press conference here on Tuesday.

AU introduced the online test in association with Chennai-based Edutech India for all students of first and second year degree courses. The test was introduced to enable students to keep them in good stead in the highly competitive employment market that needed good command over English and communication skills.

This year the test was being held early in view of the likelihood of extended hours of power cut during peak summer months. The test would be held during the same period next month and the number of candidates was expected to touch 1.60 lakhs.

Infrastructure

Prof. Reddy said many colleges, except those in the remote areas which lacked the infrastructure, had established computer labs to facilitate conducting of the test and by 2008 March, 90 per cent of the colleges would have the computer lab facility.

Marketing services manager of Edutech N. Aparna said the number of centres conducting the test had gone up from 54 last year to 58 this year. A question bank had been prepared and the question papers would be prepared at random.

No two students would get the same question paper. The evaluation would also be done online.

The test was designed to test the students' accuracy, fluency and listening comprehension.

Registrar P. Vijaya Prakash and placement officer of AU College of Engineering P. Srinivasa Rao were present.

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