Mumbai University gets over a lakh applications for re-evaluation

MU's online assessment system introduced in the academic year 2016-17 has been marred by controversy. File pic

The goof-ups during evaluation at the Mumbai University have led to a record, albeit an unpleasant one. The varsity has received the highest number of applications - over 1 lakh - for re-evaluation in the academic year 2016-17.

This information revealed in an RTI query, has again raised questions about the varsity's decision to continue with the controversial online assessment system, which led to innumerable glitches in the last season. The Mumbai University's online assessment system introduced in the academic year 2016-17 has been marred by controversy since it was announced.

While it delayed the process of results declaration to a great extent, it also cost many students the academic year because the declared results had many glitches. The varsity reduced the re-evaluation fee by half considering the issue, but according to activists and others in the know, due to such a high number of applications for re-evaluation, it has not faced a major financial loss.

Highest number so far
In the academic year 2016-17, the Mumbai University received a total of 1,48,997 applications for re-evaluation. As compared to the number of re-evaluation applications in past two years, 78,975 in 2014-15 and 89,024 in 2015-16, this is the highest number of applications. The information was revealed in an RTI filed by activist Vihar Durve.

"This is proof that the varsity's new online assessment system is a complete failure, and yet it has decided to continue with the same process. So many students have already suffered a great loss due to this. If so many students have to apply for re-evaluation, what is the standard of evaluation carried out by Mumbai University?" questioned Durve.

Deja vu
Student activist, Sachin Pawar, president of the Law Students' Council, said, "After having failed terribly in declaring results on time during the last examinations season, the varsity is claiming that it has declared all the re-examination results. But students from law who appeared for re-examination of Law of Evidence, are still awaiting their results."

He added, "This was the paper which saw major casualties, as many students failed in it and re-evaluation results were not declared until the re-examination. Many students appeared for re-examination which was conducted in Nov 2017. It has been over two months, and yet there is no result, while the varsity is expected to declare results in 45 days from the examination."

1.48 lakh
No of re-evaluation applications received by MU in 2016-17

89K
No of applications in 2015-16

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