15-day semester leaves post-graduate students at Mumbai University shocked

Situation has become precarious for students who opted for these courses after receiving their results in the first week of October

Though an average college semester lasts for about four months, for students who recently received their individual results owing to the mess at University of Mumbai (MU) their semester ends within a fortnight. This has left students and colleges worried.

Even those students who received their degree results months ago, the prolonged admission season has reduced their semester to less than two months. (HT/Getty Images)

Despite starting their semester in mid-September, students pursuing MA in Public Relations and MA in Entertainment, Media and Advertising, would be appearing for semester exams in the first week of November. Situation has become precarious for students who opted for these courses after receiving their results in the first week of October.

Even those students who received their degree results months ago, the prolonged admission season has reduced their semester to less than two months. Exams for most of the master’s courses have been scheduled for November last week or December.

“Even though we had started classes for our first-year master’s students in mid-September, we have barely managed to finish half the portion. How will students appear for exams?” asked Anju Kapoor, principal, UPG College, Vile Parle. “The least we expect from the university is to schedule exams in a way that students are able to attend minimum number of lectures as per UGC norms.”

Colleges said the situation has worsened owing to the silence of MU on the issue, despite being informed about it repeatedly.

“A few of the exams were rescheduled after students protested lack of time for preparations. But in this case the university has not bothered to make changes,” said the coordinator of a south Mumbai college.

She added that one of the reasons for this might be the fewer number of students opting for these two courses. “Only a handful of colleges offer these courses. But this does not give MU the right to take them for granted,” she said.

Officials at the examination department of the university said they are yet to look into the complaints.