Mumbai: Bad scheduling by MU becomes PET peeve for postgraduates

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As postgraduates gear up for the competitive exam season, Mumbai University (MU) has set them the biggest test yet: Can they be in two places at the same time? The varsity has scheduled its PET (PhD Entrance Test) on December 16, on the same day the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CISR) has set its NET (National Eligibility Test). These two competitive examinations are considered to be of the utmost importance in the academic sector, and many candidates appear for both.

The CSIR NET is only for Science postgraduates. It has only two exam centres in Maharashtra - Pune and Nagpur - but thousands of candidates appear for it every year. Since it is a national exam, the schedule is declared well in advance.

On the other hand, PET is MU's entrance test to filter PhD applications. All postgraduates are eligible to appear for it. "Most candidates who apply for NET also apply for PhD. The NET schedule were was out well in advance. MU shouldn't ignore national-level examination schedules while preparing their timetable," said Kushal Munde, joint secretary of the National Forum for Quality Education (NFQE), which has written to the Governor, seeking his intervention in his capacity as Chancellor for all universities in the state.

Munde added, "Recently, the BMS examination was rescheduled because it was clashing with Chartered Accountancy. The second year BCom exam was rescheduled more than once to avoid clashes with CA examination. Now MU's PET is clashing with NET." A senior official from Mumbai University said, "We will take an appropriate decision on the issue on Monday."

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