Assessment and Evaluation in Tertiary Chemistry Education:Are We Bothered?

Are the marks obtained by students in the qualifying UG & PG chemistry examinations really a measure of their academic potential? This question is open to debate, as there have been instances where a nonparticipative, weak student has ended up getting more marks than he/she deserves, whereas a student with good understanding has gone to a lower position. One of the reasons for this is the nature of the examination papers. This paper discusses some of the drawbacks of the current assessment and evaluation system, particularly regarding chemistry education and provides solutions to make it more meaningful.