Mumbai: After 4 months of lectures, student barred from final exams

Like every other new bride, 21-year-old Prajakta Pawar was looking forward to her new life with her husband and family, especially as she was coming to Mumbai from a small town in Kolhapur.

After attending lectures for almost four months, Prajakta Pawar has been told that she is not eligible to take the examination this year. Pic/Ajinkya Sawant

She was also determined to complete her education, so Prajakta moved to Mumbai with a transfer certificate from Kolhapur University, so she could finish her final year in Bachelors of Science in a college here. But now, after attending lectures for almost four months, she has been told that she is not eligible to take her examinations this year.

"I applied to several colleges so that I don't end up wasting an academic year. I finally got through to a college and also attended lectures regularly, only to be told now that I'm not eligible," said Prajakta, a resident of Andheri (E). Prajakta got admission in Thakur College of Science and Commerce in Kandivli in June.

"I even attended lectures regularly, but last month, I was told that the university had not accepted my application form," she added. Prajakta had completed the first two years of her Bachelor's course in Science from a college under the Kolhapur University. She had chosen Botany, Zoology, Microbiology, as well as an optional subject - Biotechnology.

In the second year of BSc, she dropped Zoology, as per the requirements and continued with the remaining subjects. "For the third year, we have to specialise in only one subject and I chose Biotechnology. Since Thakur College accepted my admission, I assumed I'll be allowed the same subject," said Prajakta.

Almost four months after joining the college, she was informed by the authorities that her application had not been accepted by the University of Mumbai. "In her final year, she wants to study Biotechnology, which she had chosen as an optional subject in the previous two years at the earlier college.

One cannot major with an optional subject, and that's why her application form got rejected," said Chaitaly Chakraborty, principal of the college. She added that the college was not aware that the student had taken Biotechnology as an optional subject in the previous two years.

Rejected
"We had asked her to check with the university about her choice of subjects and once she said it had been cleared, we accepted her admission. The form was sent to the university along with the forms of all other third year students but her form has been rejected," added Chakraborty.

Blame game
While the college blamed the delay on the slow verification process of the university, which took about three months to reply to Prajakta's application, senior officials from the university have put the blame on the college authorities for not verifying students' documents before admitting them.

"This is a basic rule of any university, that no one can major in an optional subject. The college should have highlighted this to the student, instead of simply expecting the student to know everything," stated a senior official from Mumbai University.

‘No hope'
"I have also approached the university, and have been left with no hope now. I even tried approaching the Kolhapur University again, but it seems it is too late for that too," said Prajakta.