Arunachal conducts nation’s first CBT for ITI students

ITANAGAR, 20 Dec: Arunachal has become the first state in the country to conduct computer-based tests (CBT) in the All India Trade Test (AITT) for Industrial Training Institute (ITI) students.

The examination was conducted exclusively in Arunachal from 9-20 December by the directorate general of training and Chennai-based National Instructional Media Institute (NIMI) through the state’s skill development & entrepreneurship (SDE) directorate in five government ITIs for 795 students.

“The traditional form of examination, using OMRC sheets, was replaced by web-based examination, as done for premier entrance examinations like JEE, AIEEE, NET, and it was found to be more accurate, faster and reliable,” said SDE Director Subu Tabin in a press release.

“With usage of technology in the examination process, the results are prepared in very short duration without any manual intervention,” he added.

Tabin said that the CBT for the AITT was a big challenge as the ITIs in the state are not sufficiently equipped with resources like computers, switches, high-speed servers, LAN, etc.

“This task was more difficult to accomplish due to poor internet connectivity in the state in general and places like Tabarijo, Balinong with almost zero internet connectivity,” he said.

“Everyday, ITI officials had to travel carrying the servers to a place with decent internet connectivity to submit the day’s exam data to NIMI and get the update of the next day’s examination,” Tabin informed, adding that, in spite of the limitations, “all the ITIs of the state successfully conducted the CBT.”

The examination, held across all five government ITIs, was conducted for 21 different trades, he informed.