MU schedules 1st-yr PG exams

MUMBAI: Barely six weeks since colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai (MU) started first-year classes for postgraduate (PG) courses, the university is now asking all colleges to complete their first-semester exams on or before March 10. Colleges said not only is the varsity flouting the 90-day working period before conducting exams, but is also offering very little clarity to colleges about the exams.

“Most colleges were completing the admission process for first-year Master of Commerce (Mcom), Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MSC) courses until January 15, and classes began only in the third week of January. Now the latest circular by university’s examination department is asking us to conduct exams before March 10 and announce results by March 15. How is this possible?” said coordinator of Mcom department of a suburban college.

This year, admissions to most courses in higher education sector got delayed due to the Covid-19

lockdown and confusion over reservation quotas. In colleges that managed to fill up their seats through the in-house quota, admissions to postgraduate courses were completed by December 2020 and classes began in the first week of January 2021. However, in many cases, colleges had to wait till January 15 to complete admission process and start classes. “While Mcom and MA lectures have been conducted online, students from the MSC-IT department have barely completed 40% practical classes. How can we conduct examination for these students without even completing basic curriculum?” asked the principal of a south Mumbai college on condition of anonymity.

Officials from the Board of Examinations and Evaluation (BOEE) said the circular is not binding in terms of the date mentioned. “We have told colleges to hold the examination by March 10 but in case colleges approach us seeking an extension of examination deadline, we will consider their case,” said Vinod Patil, director BOEE, MU.