Mumbai varsity agrees to postpone MCom and MA

Colleges sought re-scheduling of first-year exams owing to prolonged admissions to PG courses

After receiving requests from several city colleges, asking it to postpone the first-year Masters in Arts (MA) and Masters in Commerce (MCom) exams, the University of Mumbai (MU) has agreed to do the needful. Colleges said owing to the delay in online assessments, all institutes were forced to admit students to post-graduate courses till mid-October. This they said gave them little time to complete the portion.

The original deadline set by the university to complete admissions for PG courses was August 21. (HT file)

“Normally, admissions are over by August, and teachers get nearly three months to complete the portion before exams. This time, we started classes only after mid-October and then had to break for Diwali holidays. Students have barely attended classes for one month,” said the principal of a suburban college, who did not wish to be named. She said her college has sent a letter to the varsity requesting that the MA exams be postponed from December to January, so that teachers get some more time to finish what’s required.

Most colleges were shut between October 15 and November 7 for Diwali holidays. “Though we conducted extra lectures during vacations, we could not force students or teachers to change their holiday plans, so full-fledged lectures began only in November,” said the coordinator of a college in south Mumbai, requesting anonymity. “It’s unfair to expect teachers to finish the full portion of a semester in six weeks.”

On Thursday, members of Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS) visited MU officials and asked them postpone of MA and MCom exams.

“Sadly, the university doesn’t take action until we complain, so we submitted our demand in writing. We are glad they have finally agreed to reschedule the exam,” said Dinesh Panjwani, principal, RD National College, Bandra.