Whether it is an entrance examination for academic institutions or any competitive examination [Offline or Online] for jobs, most questionnaires are prepared in the form of quizzes. In this article, we will come to know why quizzes are necessary for academic excellence?

Everyone in this competitive world wants to excel in career. It requires steadfast, tireless and focused efforts for building the mental aptitude and logical mind. Since childhood and early schooling days, parents as well as teachers start infusing competence in children’s mind.

Quiz plays an important role in the development of logical and analytical mind. Only through effective quiz, one can easily trace the mental aptitude or a student or an aspirant.

What is Quiz?

According to Oxford, A Quiz is a test of knowledge, especially as a competition between individuals or teams as a form of entertainment.

Definition of quiz may vary with institution. It may be a source of entertainment as well as competition among students. As we know, most of the questions in entrance examinations are designed in form of a quiz. Hence they can never be medium of entertainment for aspirants.

Why Quiz are essential for academic excellence

1. DECISION MAKING

In present competitive scenario, decision making is an important aspect for academic as well as professional excellence. Decision making is possible when we have :-

• Steadfast competence and minute understanding of concept.
• Logical and analytical thinking capabilities.
• Invincible sense of leadership.

Quiz provides us an opportunity to think logically and analytically. Just take an example.

Name the Indian city where Taj Mahal is situated?

Agra

New Delhi

Kanpur

Lucknow

Any student who has an basic understanding about Taj Mahal, will certainly answer this question by choosing Agra. But change in the above question pattern may create trouble for many average students.

On the bank of Yamuna River, this Mughal Architecture was designed in the fond memory of late queen by her husband, recognised as one of the wonders of this world. Name the city where this building was present?

Agra

New Delhi

Kanpur

Lucknow

In this question, the base term Taj Mahal was substituted with associated trivial information of the architecture. Now a student needs extra information to answer this question.

If Yamuna river is taken as hint, New Delhi and Agra, both cities are located on the bank of this river? Mughal Architectures are located both at New Delhi and Agra. The first task is to identify the architecture. Once it is done, it is same as the previous question.

Taj Mahal is the only Mughal Architecture designed in the fond memory of a late wife. This is the only one hint available to answer this question. Hence a student can answer if he can reach on decision appropriately.

2. DEVELOP LOGIC & ANALYSIS

Quiz can be designed in many forms.

All forms have their own advantages and limitations. Through these quiz-forms, one can test or enhance logic & analysis among students. Just take an example of identifying the correct statement.

A	This is UNESCO approved world heritage site located at the bank of Yamuna River in the Southern part of India, and this site was commissioned by a Mughal emperor in 1535.
B	This is UNESCO approved world heritage site located at the bank of Yamuna River in the Northern part of India, and this site was commissioned by a Mughal emperor in 1632.
C	This is USCIRF approved world heritage site located at the bank of Yamuna River in the Southern part of India, and this site was commissioned by a Mughal emperor in 1535.
D	This is USCIRF approved world heritage site located at the bank of Yamuna River in the Southern part of India, and this site was commissioned by a Mughal emperor in 1632.

Only one statement is correct but a student needs to knows many things to identify the correct statement. In above questions, these are hints.

• UNESCO
• USCIRF
• YAMUNA RIVER
• 1632
• 1535
• Northern India
• Southern India

A student must know the purpose of institutions like UNESCO and USCIRF to answer this question. Secondary, If Yamuna River is common in every option, he must know its location. [Northern India or Southern India]. Finally in which century [15th or 16th] the said site was commissioned must be known to the student.

Answer is B. “This is UNESCO approved world heritage site located at the bank of Yamuna River in the Northern part of India, and this site was commissioned by a Mughal emperor in 1632.”

If any student knows about UNESCO and answer the question correctly; he must find out about USCIRF later. He must read about USCIRF, its organizational structure, motto and all other relevant information. This is important to enhance logic and analysis in children mind.

3. DEVELOP CONCEPT FORMATION

Reading is the 3rd stage of human learning but it is also of two types.

• Intense Reading
• Extensive Reading

Quizzes are essential to develop intensive reading among students. This type of reading is related to detailed reading with specific learning aims. Lack of intensive reading can cause conceptual weakness among students.

Ajay Lilrain, One of the contributor of mridultulika and an academician stated that, “I have seen students who had secured more than 9.5 CGPA in class 9th have no basic understanding about scientific concepts.” He gave science tuition to secondary classes for more than 6 years. He introduced a special quiz program called as 20-20. It was quite popular among students also.

“This quiz program [20-20] has all types of questions [One liner, True/False, Yes/No, Multiple choice, Fill in the blanks etc]. Questions are designed in such a way that without intensive reading, conceptual understanding and analytical evaluation of a question; it was always difficult for the students to answer a question.”

Ajay Lilrain

Just take an example:

1.	Clotted Casein is also called as ……………………………. ?

He taught about animal nutrition to the students. [Digestive system, enzymes, gastric & pancreatic juice etc]. But when he asked this question in his 20-20 quiz, Only a few students were able to understand that answer is CURD.

They knew about the digestion of milk in human body but many of the students failed to co-relate this concept with curd. A real quiz enhances concept building among students.

CONCLUSION

Quiz can play an essential role in development of a children. We should allow students to enjoy each platform of quiz competitions. Department of School Education, Haryana has already introduced formation of quiz club at school level & it has achieved a reputed practice at Government Schools in the state.