Cannot avoid overlap of CA, second-year undergrad exam dates, says Mumbai university

University says the two exams are scheduled at different times so students can appear for both; one-hour gap between exams not enough, complain students

Second-year commerce students (SYBCom) appearing for Chartered Accountancy (CA) exams in November this year will have to manage both exams on the same day, officials from the University of Mumbai said.

The CA and second-year commerce exams, scheduled for November, will clash on three days. (HT File)

Changing exam dates is not an option, so students will either have to appear for both exams on the same day, or skip one of the two this semester. “There are several exams that students appear for along with the university papers, and it’s not possible for us to avoid overlap of all those papers,” said an official from the MU’s examination department. “We have scheduled university papers in the first half and the CA papers in the afternoon so that CA aspirants can appear for both.”

Last week, HT had reported on the complaints of second-year students of Bachelors in Commerce (BCom) and Bachelors in Accounting Finance (BAF), many of whom pursue CA along with their undergraduate courses. “The CA exams are from November 2 to 15, and around the same time, the University has scheduled our SYBCom exams. Dates clash for three papers, on November 9, 13 and 15, so we have to choose which exam to appear for,” said Sharad Shah, a student.

Students have approached their respective colleges in the hope for a solution. “Had the university completed the winter session exams before November, this would not have been a problem. The delay in announcing results has damaged the basic structure of the academic year, and we can do nothing about it,” said Sobhana Vasudevan, principal, RA Podar College, Matunga.

Some of her students have decided to skip the CA exams this semester and appear for them in the next semester, Vasudevan said. “We are hoping that the University will have a change of heart before the exams.”