Mumbai: Students studying post graduate (PG) courses affiliated to the Mumbai University (MU) are now relieved as their first semester examinations are postponed by almost one month. This move has come after principals, teachers and students raised their concerns about the lack of time for preparation as the examinations were scheduled for the first week of November.
The semester examinations for Masters programme in various streams like Arts, Commerce and Mass Communication were earlier scheduled in November. The academic year for these programmes began in August-end due to the delay in declaration of results. Teachers faced issues as they had to complete the portion of four months in just two months.
The university on Friday notified all college principals about the shift of examination dates. Students had earlier complained that instead of four months they would get one or two months for their preparation.
Nitesh Mehta, a student, said, “The examinations of PG courses are tougher and we need time to prepare thoroughly. We were not at all prepared to appear for the examinations in November as Diwali vacations kicked in and the syllabus was not completed. Now, we have a bit of extra time to prepare.”
College authorities have extended their cooperation by agreeing to conduct 1,000 hours of extra classes.
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A teacher said, “We will conduct extra lectures to complete the syllabus. It is difficult to teach everything in a limited time so we request students and parents to cooperate with us and attend extra classes.” The examinations have been shifted from the first week of November to the last week of November and first week of December.
But this shift will create a vicious circle and disturb the entire academic calendar of the university. Devanand Shinde, in-charge Vice- Chancellor of the MU, said, “If one particular semester examination is delayed then the schedule of the entire academic is affected. This shift will further affect the future semester examinations.”
