MU brings back internal evaluation after 8 years

After an eight-year hiatus, the University of Mumbai (MU) has announced the reintroduction of an internal evaluation system for its Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Science (BSc), and Arts (BA) courses starting from the academic year 2024-25.

This move comes in line with the New Education Policy (NEP), which follows the 60:40 assessment pattern, where 60% of the overall grade will be based on semester-end theoretical examinations, and 40% will be allocated to continuous or internal evaluation for undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) programs, respectively. However, students must clear both types of assessments individually. This assessment pattern marks a departure from the previous 75:25 scheme the MU had.

The decision to overhaul the assessment system was communicated to affiliated colleges through a circular issued last month, following approvals from the university’s academic and management councils last year. Internal assessment has been a topic of contention at MU, with some faculty advocating for its role in holistic student development, while others criticise lenient grading. These changes come at a crucial time as many students continue to grapple with academic setbacks and challenges in clearing semester exams.

The revamped examination system will be implemented across MU’s 870 non-autonomous colleges, starting with first-year courses. Autonomous institutes, which follow their own curriculum and assessment patterns, have already transitioned to NEP-compliant programs since 2023-24. Internal assessment components will encompass various activities such as fieldwork, seminars, projects, home assignments, industrial visits, and student attendance and conduct in lectures. Baliram Gaikwad, MU registrar, stated in the circular, “Internal assessment has been introduced following the recommendations of experts across academic disciplines. The specific components of this evaluation have been decided by the boards of studies of respective subjects.”

Currently, MU’s BA, BSc, and BCom courses lack internal evaluation, with 100% weightage given to final examinations. However, self-financed courses like BCom, Bachelor of Management Studies and BSc Computer Science already include 25% internal evaluation. PG courses adhere to the 60:40 scheme.