Comparative evaluation of objective structured viva voce versus traditional viva voce in assessment of student performance in microbiology

IntroductionViva voce complements theory and practical examinations.It helps in the comprehensive assessment of students' capabilities in examinations.It involves faceto-face interaction where the examiner probes the student's understanding, reasoning, and critical thinking skills.Viva voce aims to assess discernment and the student's ability to comprehend knowledge, think quickly, and demonstrate eloquent professional etiquette [1].Our institute conducts undergraduate MBBS assessments using the traditional viva-voce, typically during the later phase of the practical examination.However, it is frequently observed that this conventional method lacks consistency, as the outcomes are often influenced by the examiner's mood and personal biases.Conventional viva voce is traditionally conducted by different examiners depending on their availability on the day of the examination, thereby introducing additional variability in assessment.Examiner judgment may be affected by personal preferences, variations in