Greater Use of External Examiners Urged

Replying to criticism that pass standards of certain subjects varied greatly in different colleges, the Chancellor suggested last month that greater use should be made of external examiners.

"It seems to me," Sir David said, "that the effective use of the external examiner would ensure not only adequacy of standard but also reasonable equality of standard. To ensure the attainment of these objectives, however, the use must be effective. With the increasing demand for University graduates which is bound to arise in our expanding economy, it is my view that it is not only in the interest of the student and of the University but also in the national interest that students should receive their degree when they have attained in each subject the standard which a competent Board of Examiners would think reasonably adequate for the degree in question.

"They should not be re fused a pass at any stage in the course because a particular Professor sets a standard which would seem unnecessarily high to a competent Board of Examiners. On (he other hand, the general maintenance of a reasonably adequate standard would prevent a student from gaining any undesirable advantage by proceeding from one college to another where the standard in some subject or subjects was less than adequate."