University of Mumbai asks colleges to hold special exams for those who missed them for sports, cultural events

Individual colleges are required to carry out the entire exercise of holding special exams on their own

The University of Mumbai (MU) has directed affiliated colleges to conduct special tests for their first and second-year students who missed their papers owing to medical reasons or while participating in sports, cultural, NSS or NCC activities. 

Many students who excelled in sports were forced to choose between sporting events and their exams during last November and December.(HT File)

Unlike the regular exams, where all the colleges follow common question papers and a common schedule provided by the university, individual colleges are required to carry out the entire exercise of holding special exams on their own. They will set their own question papers and declare the results, said a circular issued by MU last month. 

In November, HT had reported that some students who specialised in sports were forced to choose between sporting events and their exams due to a clash of schedule after MU deferred several semester examinations of all three years of degree courses. Many papers were scheduled in the months of November and December, when most of the sporting competitions are held. 

The Maharashtra Public Universities Act, which was enacted in March this year, requires the varsity board of examination and evaluation to make alternative arrangements regarding examinations for students participating in inter-university, national or international sports or cultural competitions or National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS) events during their exam period. However, in the absence of any directives from the university, the colleges were clueless about the procedure for such a test. 

The circular issued by the university allows candidates who miss their exams on medical grounds or for representing the college or the university in sports, cultural activities, NSS, NCC or sports training camps or any other reason, “which is considered valid under exceptional circumstances and to the satisfaction of the principals or head of the institutions or departments.”

Yuva Sena, the youth wing of Shiv Sena, which had submitted a letter to the varsity chancellor (V-C) and pro V-C, requesting them to bring clarity to the issue, welcomed the move. “It’s a good move to hold special exams in colleges. However, it remains to be seen how the decision is implemented,” said Pradeep Sawant of Yuva Sena.