Minister says no MCQs in exams, colleges say can’t change paper anymore

However, the University of Mumbai (MU), in its circular released on March 4, stated that exams will be held between April and May 2022 and for offline exams, with a mix of MCQs and long questions

Mumbai A day after the higher education department announced that all state university summer 2022 exams will be held offline and suggested that colleges phase out multiple-choice questions (MCQs) altogether, city colleges are now worried about the existing exam schedule and paper pattern.

Controller of examinations, MU, however, told HT that the exam paper pattern will not change (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT PHOTO)

However, the University of Mumbai (MU), in its circular released on March 4, stated that exams will be held between April and May 2022 and for offline exams, colleges will be allowed to have a mix of MCQs and descriptive questions.

“We are going by the March 4 circular, and our exam paper sets are ready accordingly with a mix of MCQs and descriptive questions. Changing the paper pattern now will be wrong because teachers and students are prepared for exams based on the set paper pattern,” said Marie Fernandes, principal, St Andrew’s College, Bandra. She added that they have not received any word from MU regarding any new changes.

Controller of examinations, MU, however, told HT that the exam paper pattern will not change. “State government rule is more to do with mode of examination, which MU had already suggested will be held offline. We will continue conducting exams based on the March 4 circular, and as of now, we don’t plan to release any new circulars,” said Vinod Patil, director of Board of Examination and Evaluation (BoEE), MU.

State minister for higher and technical education Uday Samant on Monday conducted a meeting with vice chancellors of all state universities, where a unanimous decision was taken to conduct all university summer 2022 exams offline.

After nearly two years of online exams, most state universities suggested bringing offline exams back for the summer 2022 session.

In February this year, MU released a circular stating that summer 2022 exams will be held online as well as offline modes. All UG exams for commerce, arts and science session 2 (regular) and backlog exams for the same batches will be conducted offline. However, backlog exams (ATKT) for semesters 1, 3 and 5, as well as semester 4 exams for regular and backlog students have been conducted in online mode this year.

In the first week of March, MU released another statement confirming that semester six exams for traditional (aided and unaided) courses will be conducted online this year, whereas, all exams for professional courses, as well as post graduate ones, will be offline.

While TYBCom exams started online on April 19, this was followed by TYBA and TYBSc exams that commenced from April 21. Similarly, exams for first year undergraduate students are scheduled to begin in May and colleges fear any changes at this point will affect the entire schedule.