Chaos subsides on Day 2 of MU exams

The second exam of final-year BCom students was conducted smoothly at all centres, barring stray reports of delayed starts in a few centres and teachers’ unions’ claims of cheating.

The second exam of final-year BCom students was conducted smoothly at all centres, barring stray reports of delayed starts in a few centres and teachers’ unions’ claims of cheating.

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While a Mumbai university official claimed exams were delayed in four centres by about 15 minutes on Saturday, there was no official confirmation. “There was no delay at all, everything was normal,” said DG Wasave, exam controller.

For Saturday’s exam, 87% of the 212 centres had teachers supervising, with 11% supervised by non-teaching staff and 2% by ‘others’. The university had told colleges to rope in non-teachers for supervision because of the ongoing teachers’ boycott.

Colleges said minor issues caused no problems holding Saturday’s exams. “It went off absolutely perfectly,” said Shobhana Vasudevan, principal of RA Podar College, Matunga.

However, teachers’ unions alleged poor supervision by inexperienced staff. This year, instead of vigilance squads of teachers making random checks at centres, ‘observers’ from the university will be sent instead.

Protesting teachers also allege mass cheating in some colleges, saying the staff is not equipped to deal with it. “They are not bothered about observing strict rules,” said CR Sadasivan, president, Bombay University and College Teachers’ Union.