Mumbai university confident of not repeating results mess this semester

Although less than 25% answer sheets have been assessed in the past six weeks, MU said everything was under control.

While the online assessment for semester exams started at a slow pace, fuelling worries about a repeat of the last semester’s results delay, officials of the University of Mumbai (MU) have said it will be completed soon.

Officials from the University of Mumbai said they are confident on completing the assessment on time. (HT File)

Although less than 25% answer sheets have been assessed in the past six weeks, MU said everything was under control.

“Teachers are all busy with supervision duty and lectures during the day, so the number of teachers registering for assessment duty is a little low at present. But with colleges ready to break for Christmas holidays, more teachers can focus on assessment,” said Arjun Ghatule, acting director, Board of Examination and Evaluation, MU.

Out of 13,000 teachers eligible for assessment duty this semester, Ghatule said that almost 10,000 teachers have already registered for duty.

According to information shared by MU officials in October, 2017, assessment duty was supposed to take off within a week of the exams ending which did not happen. In a series of articles, HT has highlighted how the assessment of papers certain subjects did not begin till almost four weeks after the examination.

“More than 10 lakh answer booklets have already been scanned and another three-and-a half lakh answer booklets will follow. We are sure this process will speed up ,”said Ghatule.

However, colleges are not convinced. “Most of my teachers have just finished assessment of first and second year examinations. After supervision and lectures, they hardly have time. It is also unfair to expect teachers to give up their holidays for work year after year,” said Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrew’s College, Bandra.