Glitches continue to mar online assessment at Mumbai varsity

Some of the technical glitches in the on-screen marking system, which led to results mess in the last semester, have refused to ease

More than a month after exams for the final-year graduate programme began at the University of Mumbai (MU), several teachers are yet to begin assessment because they are unable to access answer sheets online.

After MU switched to OSM last semester, teachers had a hard time assessing answer papers. (HT file)

Some of the technical glitches in the on-screen marking system (OSM), which led to results mess, have refused to die. While colleges said the assessment process is much smoother as compared to the previous examination, several teachers, who were assigned assessment work, couldn’t download the scanned copies of the papers at centralised assessment process (CAP) centres. The teachers fear the snag will cause to another results mess.

“At several centres, the examiners are waiting for assessment as there are no answer sheets. The university had told us that the scripts will be made available within 10 days of a paper. However, the examiners are yet to receive the scripts of the paper that were conducted in early November,” said Ravindra Deshmukh, principal, Kokan Gyanpeeth Karjat College and a member of varsity academic council. He is also zonal co-ordinator to monitor on-screen assessment in Raigad district.

After MU switched to OSM last semester, teachers had a hard time assessing answer papers. The papers took a long time to download and many teachers got wrong answer sheets, resulting in an unprecedented delay.

In order to avoid a repeat of assessment mess during the last examination, MU has divided the region under its purview into 12 zones, with a coordinator for colleges in each zone.

Madhu Nair, principal of Nirmala Memorial Foundation College, Kandivli, and the zonal coordinator for the western suburbs of Mumbai, also confirmed that some teachers have so far been unable to download the papers. “I have several colleges and prepared a list of around 20 teachers who couldn’t access the answer sheets. I have sent the list to the in-charge director of board of examination and evaluation and requested him to fix the glitch,” he said.

Despite the glitches, some principals said that the evaluation process is moving much faster. “Earlier, there were some problems in downloading paper. But we haven’t faced any issue since last three-four days,” said the principal of a college in western suburbs.

Hemlata Bagla, principal, KC College, Churchgate, said, “The assessment software is running smoothly. The teachers are very happy,” she said.