Factors Influencing Examination
Results in Higher Education for
Maximizing Validity and Improving
Students’ Pass Rate
in Examination System of Tribhuvan University
Ram Chandra Pokharel
HOD of Statistics Department
Padma Kanys Campus
Tribhuvan University
Introduction
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There are five universities in operation in NepalKathmandu, Nepal Sanskrit, Pokhara, Purbanchal
and Tribhuvan University (TU). They form basis of
higher education in Nepal.
Lumbini Buddha University (LBU) has recently been
established but student has not yet been enrolled in
it.
Besides, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Science
(BPKIHS) and NAMS have also been in operation at
the university level. Among them, the TU and NSU
are entirely financed by the government.
Tribhuvan University
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In 2007, the TU has 60 constituent and 288 affiliated campuses
spread all over the country.
It has 4 faculties (Law, Humanities and Social Sciences,
Management and Education) and 5 Technical Institutes (Science
and Technology, Engineering, Medicine, Forestry, and Agriculture
and Animal Science)
In 2006/07, the total student enrollment in TU constituent and
affiliated campuses is 1,32,777 and 70,672 respectively
In 2006/07, TU conducted exam for 4,60,716 students including
2,19,186 regular, private and 2,41,530 partial students.
TU is providing higher education to around 90 percent of the total
students in the country.
TU Examination System
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Centralized and annual examination systems
are two basic characteristics of Tribhuvan
University in student evaluation system and
the tool is essay examination.
Except in case of some technical institute, no
other evaluation techniques have been found
in practice.
Examination rules and regulation in
practice
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The same curriculum is adopted for all the students
of a particular level.
All teachers with specified qualification can teach
the course to an acceptable standard.
Students’ achievement in one academic year is
assessed by the means of a set of few essay
questions in three/four hour’s long examination.
The students can demonstrate their achievement in
writing.
The examiners can measure the scope and
standard of the students' achievement by means of
written exam.
These points make one think that it is
easy to earn degrees. But students find it
difficult in real world. The success rate in
TU is relatively very low compared to
those of other universities.
Students Pass Rate in (2004/05)
Faculties
Year
Pass %
# of students
Management:
I.Com
B.B.S
I/II
I/II/III
26.33/27.80
14.27/25.46/45.27
36014/27349
25043/17406/10747
Humanities:
I.A.
B.A.
I/II
I/II/III
21.13/25.25
19.16/18.17/35
64865/45707
23986/19664/11232
Education:
I. Ed
B. Ed
I/II
I/II/III
14.40/31.63
14.82/33.19/32.41
11635/6576
1405/8833/5523
Science:
I. Sc.
B. Sc.
I/II
I/II/III
37.25/49.66
31.48/35.78/48.85
6419/5014
3786/3057/2086
Engineering:
B. E. (Civil)
I/II
III/IV
65.88/54.32
57.82/69.55
334/243
211/266
Why these areas as the key dimension
of the study?
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Even pass percentage of TU students is
seriously low, no researches has been
conducted in this area so far.
There are certain factors affecting the result
which can be improved in such a way that the
students’ success rate in the exams of TU is
increased without demolishing the present
examination administration system.
Research questions
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To what extent does the students’ overall
readiness support their achievement level as
reflected in examination result?
To what extent does the students’ prior knowledge
(entry behavior) support their examination result?
To what extent do the teachers’ background and
habits help the students’ achievement in term of
examination results?
To what extent on TU test items have validity and
reliability?
Research questions cont…
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To what extent does the parents’ financial status
affect their children’s score of exams?
To what extent do the administrators, teachers,
students, and guardians/parents satisfied with the
examination system of TU?
What measures should be taken in improving the
student evaluation system?
What students’ evaluation and assessment system
would be more appropriate for maintaining quality
and improving students’ success rate for TU?
Theoretical Framework
Students with Entry
Behavior
Teacher
Shared Meanings
Motivation and Ability
Governance
Social milieu &
Social control
Curriculum
Educative
Material
Test
Instrument
Development
Student’s
readiness
Achievement
Test
Score
Assessment
Test Theory
Valid
Examination
System
Research Method and Procedure
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This study employed cross-sectional survey
research method, and used quantitative
procedure for data analysis.
This study was based on Tribhuvan
University of Nepal. Source of in formation
and variables are given in the diagram
Variables and their sources of
information
Source of Information
Variables
 Students
tests scores, entry behavior, test readiness, test
satisfaction, attitude towards the
examination system
 Teacher
qualification, habits, attitude towards the
examination system, opinion to improve the
examination system
 Parents/Guardians
habits, socio-economic status, investments on
child, attitude towards the examination system
 Administrator
attitude towards the examination system, opinion
to improve the examination system
 Question quality
relation to the test theory, relation of two parallel
test scores
 Educators
attitude towards the examination system, opinion
to improve the examination system
Population and sample
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Participants in the study were students,
guardians, teachers, campus administrators
related to examinations and educators.
These four types of units were chosen after
selecting the campus.
A two- stage; multi-stage sampling procedure
was employed. First, campuses and then
students, their teachers, their
guardians/parents and their exam
administrators and university educators.
Methodology
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Questionnaires were the major tools for data
collection. Four separate sets of questionnaires
were developed for the collection of information from
students, parents, teachers and administrators.
One separate set of questionnaires were prepared
to collect the information from educational experts.
Questionnaires for the students were administrated
in the common classes after the permission of
related campus authority. Instructions were given to
the students to take enough time what they need.
Some students returned their questionnaires only
next day with their gradients response.
Methodology cont…
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Achievement results of the sample students and
campuses were collected either from campuses or
from the Office of the Controller of Examinations of
T.U. according to the researcher’s convenience.
Information from sample teachers and campus
administrators were also colleted at the same day
when information was collected from students.
The questionnaires of parents/guardians were given
to students and were requested to pass it to their
guardians. The questionnaires were collected in
following day.
Questionnaires were mail to educators in their
address and collected from mail.
Methodology cont…
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The completed questionnaires were grouped into
students, teachers, parents and administrators.
After codding the data, variables were created
according to the information collected by students,
teachers, campus chief and parents and then data
were entered in the computer.
The Statistical Packages to Social Science (SPSS)
were used for data entry and analysis.
Descriptive analysis, Regression analysis, and
Multivariate analysis were done in this study but due
to the small numbers of educators, numerical
analysis was not done in their information.
Logical Framework for sample
Tribhuvan University
Faculty:
1. Humanities & Social Science,
2. Education,
3. Law and
4. Management
(81 Campuses for BBS 3rd Year)
Institute:
1. Engineering
2. Medicine
3. Forestry
4. Agriculture and Animal science
5. Science and technology
(21 campuses for BSc. 3rd Year)
Randomization of
13 campuses which have more than 30 students.
3rd year Bachelor390 students (30 from each campus), 390 sample students’ parents
or guardians, all teachers of sample students teaching 3rd year Bachelor Level,
administrators (C. Chief, Asst. Chief, Chief Administrator, Head of examination
section) of respective sample campuses, professors.
Response Rate
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The students and their guardians/parents both set of
questionnaires were provided for the students in the
sample classrooms and were asked to return in the
following day with both sets together.
After the removal of incomplete set of
questionnaires, only 30 complete sets (which had
both students and their guardians) from each
campuses were accepted that were selected
randomly and had no problem of response rate.
For teacher, 51 surveys were received from the 58
respondents of 13 campuses giving a response rate
of 87.93% for this research.
Response Rate
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Similarly for administrator, 41 surveys were
received from the 63 respondents giving a
response rate of 65.08%, relatively high for
such survey.
For educator, question were mailed to five
respondents (3 professors- education, arts
and science; dean of college of education,
and controller of examination office of TU)
only 3 were received giving 60% response
rate, relatively high for a mailed survey.
Summary of the Findings
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Students’ Characteristics
The regression analysis indicated that enrollment in tuition class, use
of guess paper for exams, and having professional license (if any)
hindered the students scores but study in library or book centers
before the exam helped them positively rather than study at home.
Class regularity, students’ study habit and interest in the field before
study did not bring any significance difference in the students’ grade
in the Bachelor’s Level.
Similarly, 8 additional demographic variables and/or the
characteristics that the students can not change easily were also
significantly related in students’ achievement of exams. The
regression coefficient proved that being unmarried, accepting Hindu
religion or closed to it, having mother tongue far from Nepali,
having high mother’s educational level, having low annual family
income, having SLC education complete from Katmandu valley,
male and having no relationship with campus except students
played the positive roll for students’ achievement in examination.
Summary of the Findings
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Prior Knowledge
The beta coefficients of these variables indicated
that having high score in junior level, has published
the name in first list to enroll in campus after the
entrance exam, boarding schools’ product and have
matching career goal and field of study perfectly that
student will get high score in Bachelor’s Level.
English score of a student in junior level were not be
the predictors of his/her in Bachelor’s Level.
Summary of the Findings
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Teacher’s Background
This research has discovered that lesson plan is very essential for being
effective teachers.
Similarly, more than 5 years teaching experience is essential for effective
teaching but above 15 years’ teaching experience of teachers will not be
helpful for the students.
Some extra qualification and knowledge of students’
evaluation/examinations are helpful for teachers’ academic career.
The teachers division in Master’s Degree had no relationship to satisfy
their students. Similarly, teachers’ teaching training in TU is not effective.
Higher academic qualification than Master’s Degree does not improve
the effectiveness of TU teachers.
In addition, punctuality helps the teacher to be popular and effective but
the number of effective teachers will be always less than the punctual
and popular teachers in the university.
Summary of the Findings
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Reliability and Validity of Test Items
It was found that students’ scores in Bachelor’s Level first and
second year were highly correlated (r = 0.81 and p = .00, p <.01).
But in contrast, there was very weak relationship (r = .16 and p =
.08, p > .05) between students’ practical score and their final
percentage in Institute of Science and Technology.
Again, researcher had recorded that there were no connection
between TU questions sets and test theory. Question sets had
provided unnecessary option, have coverage errors and have the
problems of out of courses or wrongly formatted/designed.
This research found that 54.9% students were involved in
cheating in their last TU exams.
Summary of the Findings
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Financial Status
This research has found that the children who have
poor family background do better in TU.
Similarly, the children of alcoholic guardians/parents do
better in the TU exams.
The research had found that the amount of
guardians/parents investment (Rupees) on their child
were not significantly correlated (r = .05, p > .05) with
their children achievement.
In addition, there was a significant positive correlation
found between children achievement and their
guardians/parents’ satisfaction level over them.
Summary of the Findings
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Satisfaction Level
This survey has clearly indicated that the
students, their guardians/parents, teachers
and administrators were not satisfied with TU
examination system.
It has also indicated that administrators are
the most negative group and teachers are the
least negative group among four groups
towards the university examination system.
Summary of the Findings
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Improving System
The analysis has clearly indicated that the both groups
(administrators and teachers) had highly positive attitude to improve
the things that had included in the research (i.e. existing question
setting style, scoring system of students’ answer copies, test
administration system of exam hall and the length of time between
test and results).
87.8% administrators and 78.4% university teachers were agreed to
change the present question setting style of TU. Similarly, 87.8%
administrators and 56.9% university teachers were agreed to change
the present marking scheming for scoring students’ answer copies.
100% administrators agreed that TU takes unnecessarily more time
for publishing exam results and 78.4% teachers were simply agreed
the same statement.
Summary of the Findings
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Appropriate System
Professionalism should be developed in all exam related activities.
Question sets should be developed according to the notion of test
theory such that there can be introduced rechecking of students’
answer copies if they asked for it.
Marking schemes should be developed for scoring students’ answer
copies.
Teachers’ involvement in the exam hall should be increased.
Regional office of the “Office of the Controller of examinations”
should be activated for its examination activities.
At least one examination consultant should be hired. Effective
training depending upon the nature of job must be provided for every
staff, teachers or faculty members.
Making transparent in the financial sector of examination, works of
the staffs, teachers must be paid reasonably.
Examination calendar should be published in every academic year
and should be strictly followed.