Teachers’ union asks Mumbai varsity to reschedule semester exams

Practical examinations will have to be conducted in May, which is unfair to teachers as well as students, a teacher said.

The Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU) has asked the University of Mumbai to reschedule the semester examinations. MU had recently announced the date of commencement of all courses while specific time-tables of all courses is still awaited.

The university has announced dates for theory papers without giving enough time to colleges to conduct the practical examinations first. (Hindustan Times)

“The university has announced dates for theory papers without giving enough time to colleges to conduct the practical examinations first. This means practical examinations will have to be conducted in May, which is unfair to teachers as well as students,” said Madhu Paranjape, general secretary of BUCTU. While Allowed-To-Keep-Term (ATKT) exams are already underway, the first of the exams for fresh candidates will begin on April 3, with TYBCom examinations.

Many teachers are also angry about once again giving up on their vacation this year for assessment of papers. “When the first and second year exams were still conducted by individual colleges, we could finish their assessment before starting work on third year papers. We’ve worked through Diwali and Christmas vacations last year and now the May holidays too will be usurped by the university,” said a teacher on condition of anonymity.

Officials from the examinations department of the university said they haven’t received the complaint as yet. “We will look into their complaints,” said an official.