The University of Mumbai (MU) has formed a committee to investigate AI-generated content in the study material prepared for its Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE). The move comes after students enrolled in distance learning programmes claimed that sections of a psychology study guide appeared to have been directly copied from the artificial intelligence tool.
The issue came to light last week when students identified unusual text in a Semester IV psychology course book titled Social Problems: Skills and Intervention. The material had wording that seemed like a ChatGPT response.
The controversy gained attention after students created a video highlighting the alleged issue and shared it on social media. The video went viral. The text reportedly read, “Next step for you: would you like to generate unit 2-specific intervention strategies...” Students argued that AI content may have been included in the study material without being properly edited before publication.
This has raised concerns about the quality of education being provided through the university’s distance and online learning programmes. Thousands of students are enrolled in these courses. Many of them are working professionals who depend heavily on university-issued study materials for their learning and exam preparation.
The controversy has also led to political reactions. As per a report by HT, Members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena (MNVS), the student wing of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), have demanded the resignation of CDOE Director Shivaji Sargar.
There have been more recent problems involving the university. These included the leak of third-year BCom papers thrice, errors in the results of 2,000 MCom students, examination centres located more than 50 kilometres away, and delays in study materials and textbooks.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has stated that AI tools may be used for specific purposes such as checking grammar, improving language, readability, and better content flow and providing editorial assistance. However, the use of such tools should not exceed 10 percent of the content.
As per the repost by HT, the CDOE has set up a committee to conduct a detailed inquiry into the matter. The committee will find the claims and carry out an investigation into the preparation of the study material.
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