Student alleges bribe demand by Mumbai Univ officer

A student at the University of Mumbai has alleged that an official demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 to clear his exams, raising concerns about unethical practices within the university's examination system. The university has said it will look into the claims.

MUMBAI: Omkar Gopal, a second-year student at the Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL), University of Mumbai (MU), has alleged that an official demanded a bribe of ₹10,000 to clear his ‘Allowed to Keep Terms’ (ATKT) subjects. Gopal’s claims have raised concerns about unethical practices within the university’s examination and evaluation system.

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Recounting his ordeal, Gopal said, “On October 9, I visited the Kalina campus to submit a revaluation application for three subjects in which I received ATKT. Initially, the institute denied me access to the photocopy of my answer sheets and instead asked for a bribe of ₹10,000 to clear two of the subjects. They warned that if I failed to pay this amount, my revaluation result would also be negative, and also my chances of clearing this academic year.”

The student formally reported this incident in a letter addressed to the IDOL director on October 12. He said the university official instructed him to place the bribe amount in an envelope and affix it with his hall ticket, noting the number on the reverse side. In support of his claims, Gopal attached a photograph of the person who had demanded the bribe.

Responding to the allegations, members of the Yuva Sena (UBT), along with former Senate members, went to meet Prasad Karande, director of examination and evaluation at MU, on Thursday. Since Dr Karande was reportedly unavailable, they met the deputy registrar of the examination department instead. However, their inquiries went unanswered, prompting party workers and students to stage an agitation within the officer’s cabin and blocking his exit.

Commenting on the allegations of bribery, Pradeep Sawant, former Senate member, expressed concern. Emphasising the gravity of the situation, he said, “If this is true, it will be a stain on MU’s reputation. The vice-chancellor must take cognisance of this letter and initiate an inquiry into the matter.”

When contacted by HT, an MU official said the claims made by the student would be looked into and verified.