Architecture
A meaning layer, not a retrieval replacement.
QueryProcessor adds measured structure to the question. Semantic retrieval and NEC source chunks remain responsible for finding and grounding the answer.
Evidence-first answering path
Step 1
Student question
Natural language, shorthand, spelling variation, or a follow-up.
Step 2
NLP / NLU
Normalize text and extract intent, entity, department, question type, and year.
Step 3
Hybrid retrieval
Embed both canonical and original formulations; combine FAQ, Pinecone, and keyword signals.
Step 4
Evidence selection
Re-rank the most relevant NEC chunks before answering.
Step 5
Grounded response
Ollama receives only the selected NEC evidence and query context.