Mumbai University still to assess over 23,000 law answer scripts

Mumbai: Around 23,067 answer scripts of winter semester examination of Law courses have not been assessed by the Mumbai University (MU). The university has assured the pending assessment will be completed and results will be declared within 10 days following protest of students on Wednesday at university Kalina campus. Student of Bachelor of Law (L.L.B.) and Master of Law (L.L.M.) claimed they have been waiting for over three months. The winter semester examinations of Law courses were conducted in December.

Vidhi Mehta, a student said, “The results of other major courses have been declared then why is there so much of delay in Law courses.” The university cited the reason for delay is lack of number of teachers. A senior official of university said, “Large number of teachers of Law courses are practicing lawyers and hence they do not have time for assessment. These teachers are in court most of the time and cannot award all their time for assessment.” Arjun Ghatule, in-charge Director and Controller of Board of Examinations of MU, told The Free Press Journal, “We have repeatedly held meetings with teachers of Law courses to complete assessment so that we can declare results soon.

There are no technical glitches in the On-screen Marking system (OSM) of online assessment.” In addition, the university claimed it will assign and request few professional lawyers who have teaching experience to help in completion of pending assessment. A senior official of MU added, “We will request lawyers who have teaching experience and are well versed with assessment to help reduce load of pending assessment. Students need not worry as the results will be declared within 10 days.”

Low attendance: 100 students of KES Shroff College not allowed to appear for semesters

 Over 100 students of Kandivali Education Society (KES) Shroff College, Kandivali (west) are not being allowed to appear for semester examinations starting from Thursday due to low attendance. Parents and students protested outside the college on Wednesday but college claimed attendance is an important criteria and they cannot entertain any kind of indiscipline in terms of attendance as they had warned students in advance.

Around 105 students of First Year Bachelor of Commerce (FYBCom) claimed they are not being allowed to appear for second semester examination (Sem II) which is the final exams of their academic year. Students revealed they have been denied because their attendance is 50%. But students protested stating other colleges are allowing students with 50% attendance to appear for examination. Meet Rajtopad, a student said, “We admit we have low attendance as we did not attend some lectures throughout the academic year. But all colleges of the city are allowing students with 50% attendance to appear for examination then why is our college disallowing us.”

Authorities of college stated as per the Mumbai University (MU) rule, students should have minimum attendance of 75%. In addition, they had already warned students about low attendance. Lily Bhushan, Principal of KES Shroff College, said, “As per university rule the attendance should be 75% but we have still lowered this and considered minimum attendance till 60%. We cannot allow students with low attendance as 50% as we had already warned students about low attendance.” Parents claimed students will waste an entire academic year if they are not allowed to appear for the exam.