On Friday, May 8, Maharashtra State Minister of Higher Education, Uday Samant declared that final year exams will be held between July 1 and July 30, based on the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. The decision comes amid the coronavirus pandemic which has led to an exponential increase in cases of COVID-19 in Mumbai so far.
The first-year and second-year students will be ranked as per a 50-50 gradation system with 50 per cent marks being awarded on the basis of previous/last year semester exams and the remaining 50 per cent on basis of the current year exams, including internal assessment. On the other hand, the third-year students will have to appear for an examination which instead of 100 will only have 50 marks and the exam will only be for two hours instead of three.
While the final year exams are crucial for a student, there is no doubt that if a student appears for the exams he/she will be at risk of contracting the infection.
The students have already taken to Twitter to appeal to Mumbai University to make a sensible decision and keep in mind, the safety of its students.
Students are not demanding things to chill around. This is an issue which needs to be taken care of by the authorities.
— Yash Shah (@YashSha07582587) May 8, 2020
Take a look at the image attached.#MumbaiUniversity#Justiceforfinalyearstudents@AUThackeray @OfficeofUT @RajThackeray @Dev_Fadanvis @meudaysamant pic.twitter.com/o217OYI64Q
#mumbaiuniversity you're relieving the stress from first year and second year what about us ? We're already worried about everything happening around and you expect us to travel in such condition and give exams. Like seriously ? @OfficeofUT @uddhavthackeray #aadityathackeray
— Kaira (@Kaira11033565) May 8, 2020
It is sad that there are some students who do not understand the intensity of @Uni_Mumbai 's decision and the impact it will have on the final year students. Loving #MumbaiUniversity for cancelling exams does not allow MU to play with our futures. @CMOMaharashtra @AUThackeray pic.twitter.com/0oVIP83yBF
— Jay Savla (@JaySavla17) May 8, 2020
One of the pivotal issues regarding the lockdown is the uncertainty of this phase being eased anytime soon and even if the lockdown is eased in the rest of Maharashtra, it will be longer before Mumbai find its way out of the COVID crisis. The problem does not end here as the outstation students from other states might have to take the risk of travelling to the city and since Mumbai is a red zone, there's no telling if the student wouldn't be affected by the virus.
Speaking to Mumbai Live, a Third-Year Bachelor of Mass Media student from K.J. Somaiya College of Arts & Commerce said, "The First-Year and Second-Year students are not supposed to give examinations and will be promoted on the basis of their previous semester's performances. But we have to appear for our exams. What do the authorities take us, the Third-Year students for? I don't know how the University is going to conduct our examinations, but if we have to come and write the exam, aren't we at risk of catching this illness? Is COVID-19 going to treat us differently or not harm us just because we'll have to fill exam sheets?"
Another TY student who is pursuing the Bachelor of Commerce said that he feels let down by the university and wants the university to postpone the exams till the lockdown lasts.
"As a student, I feel that Mumbai University has to postpone the exams because we don't know till when will the lockdown last. The lockdown period has already put me under stress and I am unable to study under such a mental state. I am a CS student and also have to prepare for the examination conducted by ICSI. They also announced the same dates for exams which will clash with the dates of the TY exams. Mumbai University has to consider all such issues and act accordingly," the student told Mumbai Live.
However, the teachers feel that the Third Year exams are very crucial and can't be skipped. A degree college professor who did not wish to be named said,
"I feel the decision of having it in July is thought of keeping in mind that cases might reduce by then and the condition may be more manageable. Are they putting students at risk? It may seem so right now but at the same time, these students need to get on with their post-college life, start looking for jobs or apply for further studies. So the longer we wait to conduct exams the more we complicate their next step in life."
He further added that if the situation deteriorates, the authorities would surely extend the July timeline to a future month as they wouldn’t want to put students at risk. The State Minister for Higher Education has already assured that if the lockdown continues then they will be taking a decision again after June 20. But even then, the issue of the safety of their health still pertains as there is no certainty that the students are immune to the coronavirus.
Owing to the lack of communication between the students and the University officials, panic has set in among the students. The only thing Mumbai University needs to do right now is to communicate with the students and the teachers and then make a decision on how to go ahead with the exam schedule.
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