Mumbai university assessment mess: Deadline for MBA admissions may be pushed

Many aspirants from MU-affiliated colleges are unable to complete the admission process

With the University of Mumbai (MU) unlikely to declare all the results anytime soon, the Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) may push the deadline to seek admission in B-schools by few weeks across the state.

The Mumbai university adopted an on-screen marking process for the assessment process. (HT FILE)

The DTE had directed management aspirants to secure admission to seats allotted through centralised admission process (CAP) by Friday, while August 14 was set as the cut-off date for all type of admissions to MBA and MMS courses.

However, many aspirants from MU-affiliated colleges are unable to complete the admission process, as the varsity is yet to declare the results of 223 out of 477 examinations, including final year BCom, BA and BE. "We are mulling postponing the cut-off date for admissions to MBA and MMS," said Dayanand Meshram, joint director, DTE.

This year, MU adopted an on-screen marking process for the assessment process, replacing the traditional pen-and-paper evaluation. The decision caused a huge delay in results as MU couldn't appoint an agency for a long time and the technical glitches continue to plague the system.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, who also serves as chancellor of the university, asked the varsity administration to declare all the results by July 31. However, MU was unable to meet the deadline.

The delay affected admissions to various post-graduation courses. Earlier, the state CET cell had to stretch the admission process for law courses to accommodate MU graduates. With admissions facing uncertainty, the B-schools are staring at an incomplete first term. “Late results delay admission process, which in turn affect examination schedule. It’s a vicious cycle,” said Kalim Khan, director, Rizvi Institute of Management Studies and Research. “The DTE also must share the blame. Even if varsity hadn’t delayed the results, the classess wouldn’t have begun before August,” he added.