Indian Express: Mumbai: Thursday, March 06, 2014.
Over 25,000 students were wrongly failed in exams conducted by Mumbai University (MU)
over the past year-and-a-half, according to information obtained under an RTI
application. Further, the RTI reply reveals that the Mumbai University
examinations department has said details of action taken against the erring
professors/examiners cannot be revealed since it is confidential.
As many as 25,009 students were declared
‘pass’ after revaluation and 832 students were declared ‘pass’ after re-totaling of marks. This information
was made available to activist Vihar Durve.
Delay in revaluation results has been a
long-standing issue with students. The varsity’s exam department has been
criticised for taking months to declare results of revaluation and re-totaling
each year. Due to this, students are forced to appear for supplementary exams.
In many cases, results of revaluation are declared after the students appear
for the supplementary exams.
“This problem takes place due to the carelessness
of the examiners and paper checkers. Why should students suffer? The varsity
claims there is no provision to compensate students who are declared ‘pass’
after revaluation and re-totalling of marks, except for refund of their
examination fees,” said Durve. He has written to the Vice Chancellor of Mumbai
University Rajan Welukar and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, urging them to
take strict action against the erring professors / examiners/paper checkers.
“These professors are guilty of shattering the dreams of these students and
playing with their future,” said Durve.
When contacted, M A Khan, registrar of MU said
that as an academic, he feels it is unfair to students as they have to suffer
for no fault of theirs. As a university official, however, he had to follow the
rules, he said.
“In my personal view, students suffer for no fault
of theirs and if these students approach us with genuine cases, I will take
personal interest in helping them. As of now, there is no provision to penalise
erring professors or paper checkers. However, in cases of mass failure in paper
checked by a particular teacher, we do initiate an inquiry and take appropriate
action. However no such cases have come to light so far.”
Advocate Manoj Tekade, of Prahar Vidhyarthi
Sanghatana, a students’ union said, “Every year the results are delayed. Even
the revaluation results are declared late, due to which students are forced to
appear for the supplementary exams and end up losing a year. Every year,
students face the same problem. This year when university had declared some of
the results on time, students were not issued their marksheets on time. The
examination system is in a mess and careers of thousands of students are
jeopardised.”
As per a university ordinance, the marks obtained
after re-evaluation will be included in the marksheet of the candidate, but the
same “shall not be taken into account for the purpose of awards of scholarships
or a top rank/medal”.
In the past, due to this, students have even lost
their chance to become a topper of the university.
One such student, Padmaja Somanchi, an MA
(History)
part-II student of the Mumbai University in 2007 worked hard for five years to become a topper. She, however, scored far
less marks marks in her MA Part -II exam than she hoped and someone else was
declared the topper. She applied for revaluation and she scored higher marks
than the topper. However, due to the university rule, her score was not
considered for the top rank.
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