Whether it is the NEET, UPSC, CLAT or exams run by state government institutions, there are a large number of candidates from across the country that sit for these competitive examinations. The number of candidates often runs into tens of thousands, making a question paper which requires long answers and detailed explanations not only inconvenient but time-consuming and impractical. It would not be feasible to evaluate such a large number of answer sheets in the required time or to a high degree of accuracy and transparency. On the other hand, an OMR sheet allows the exam to be conducted on marking sheets that are filled out by the applicant and sent in for marking. After the sheets have been processed and the marks tallied, accurate results are released to the public. Let us in this article take a look at how OMR checking machines have revolutionised the process by which OMR sheets are analysed and how quickly the information is processed and released.
Challenges Faced by Companies and Institutions Administering Exams
All country-wide competitive exams are conducted at numerous exam centres spread across the country. Given a large number of candidates and centres, it is imperative that the marked answer sheets and the details combined within are accurately recorded and transferred to a central information centre to be sorted. Many institutes face the challenge of converting the marked answers into a digital format accurately and without error. This should also be done in a time-sensitive fashion. This task is made easier by an order of magnitude by using OMR scanning. The marked sheets are in the form of bubbles and are read by OMR checking machines automatically at high speed. This allows each centre to process thousands of sheets in a few hours finishing the entire process as soon as the exam is over, greatly increasing the speed and accuracy of the process.
Benefits of Leveraging OMR Technology
There are many benefits to using an OMR scanning device to scan the sheets in a large exam. Let us see how leveraging this technology has resulted in massive benefits.
• Speed is essential here. There will be lakhs of students anxiously waiting for their results after months of preparation and hard work. By using an OMR device to scan all of the thousands of answer sheets in an exam centre, the exam location is able to finish uploading the scanned data within a day or two due to the extremely high rate of scanning speed currently available.
• Accuracy rules supreme here, given the very important nature of the data being scanned. Using intelligent software and OMR checking machine to prevent false positives gives students and administrators faith regarding the meritocratic process.
• Once the sheets are scanned, it is easy to convert them into a digital format and upload all of that data instantly to the main servers, where it can immediately be processed and scores generated.
• The cost is significantly reduced. With the thousands of papers in exam centres, if the testing centre or institute had to manually grade all of them, it would take hiring many people to work many hours to complete the job. This saves heavily on time, cost, and manpower.
• Another major advantage is the lack of need for special infrastructure. OMR devices just need a piece of paper and an OMR sheet to be marked. The test can be conducted with a few invigilators, and the post-processing of the collected sheets, such as scanning and uploading, can also be accomplished with a lesser number of people. Further, OMR sheet filling does not depend on any availability of electricity; only the OMR checking machine does. Thus, overall, this method of conducting exams is cost-effective and less labour-intensive.
• The curriculum for competitive exams may change on a yearly basis as it may get updated every few years. Keeping this in mind, it is easy to design an OMR sheet. The latest software comes with customisable features that make designing completely new patterns feasible. Thus, the administrators are not stuck with the same pattern and can redesign minor or major parts of the exam that needs an update.
• OMR device-based technologies also allow for the possibility of multiple types and formats of questions to be added.
• There is a significantly reduced administrative and financial load when using OMR scanning devices as the means of conducting the exams.
• It also makes reading barcodes and student identification numbers much easier, integrating student information collection and assimilation with marked answer scanning.
Accuracy Without Compromising on Time
OMR scanning devices have come a long way from being able to scan a single sheet in a few minutes with some degree of introduced error. Nowadays, lightning-fast scanners are able to scan up to 300 pages in a minute with an extremely high degree of accuracy. This, combined with the fact that it is now possible to scan OMR sheets with regularly available scanners as opposed to specialised hardware, makes it extremely cost-effective. It today comes with intelligent character scanning. Every student’s entry into the OMR sheet is different, and not all the bubbles are filled in the same way. There will obviously be a huge amount of variation, considering the number of students and the different types of pens they use. The latest software accounts for all of this variation and is able to accurately select the marked answer and prevent false positives. In an exam of such high magnitude, it is extremely important not to submit false data as it deals with the future prospects of so many students. This level of accuracy is only possible due to the sophisticated OMR scanning technology currently available, speeding up the process whilst still being extremely accurate.
In conclusion, the use of an OMR checking machine in entrance examinations has provided numerous benefits for both exam givers and test takers. This OMR scanning technology allows for speedy and accurate grading, reducing the risk of human error and malpractice. This method is cost-effective and very scalable. The data can be immediately uploaded, and the turnaround and writing times can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, the use of this technology is very user-friendly, not inducing any confusion due to using a computer, as well as being very environmentally friendly, reducing the paper used overall. Overall, technology has proven to be a very reliable and efficient method to conduct large-scale educational exams, both in urban as well as rural areas where access to modern testing centres may not be available.
