With less than two weeks to go for the Mumbai University online examination of 2020, however, students still are unclear on whether or not they would be receiving the question bank of MCQs being prepared by various affiliated colleges of MU.
It’s been reported that several college principals denied any guidelines in this regard being present in the circular issued to them. The Mumbai University has released two circulars in regard to final year exams. The circulars have mentioned the comprehensive bank of multiple-choice questions, (MCQs) to be prepared by the cluster of colleges. However, it does not mention anywhere the need for it to be shared with the students. And this has left both colleges and students confused and worried.
When Afternoon Voice contacted Siddharth Ingle president, Maharashtra Students Union (MASU) on this he said, “Earlier the Mumbai University assured us that question bank for each subject will be compiled and shared with students because MCQ format paper is a new concept. However now Mumbai University is claiming that they are not going to provide any questions banks, instead, they asked colleges to give questions banks for mock tests. But now, colleges aren’t sharing anything, and instead insisting on holding mock tests only.”
He further added, “The Maharashtra Governor has time to meet celebrity and politician but doesn’t have time to meet us. We have sent two emails to the chancellor of all the university Hon’ble Bhagat Singh Koshyari on the same but haven’t got any response from him.”
Talking on the same Sobhana Vasudevan, principal, R A Podar College Matunga said, “as this concept is new for the student the university and the state education department have insisted on a practice test which should help students understand the concept.”
When asked about the question banks she said that Colleges have not been asked to share question banks with students.
As per the Mumbai university schedule, the exams will take place on October 1. While the practical exams for repeater candidates will begin on September 15 and the theory exam will start from September 25. On September 4, the state Higher and Technical Education Minister Uday Samant said that they are also planning to bring the results out by October 31 to save the students’ academic year.
Students express their views
“As per the Board earlier we would be promoted as graduates without giving any exams. And we were mentally prepared for that. Now it is quite hard for us to go through the syllabus again because we haven’t been studying for the past 5 months. Also, Studying in this pandemic is quite difficult without any source of guidance. The MCQ format is good, only if they provide us with the question banks or else it can be difficult for the students to go through every single question”, Mhakvika Shetty, a TYBBI student from St. Gonsalo Garcia College said.
Shubham Tiwari, studying BS-CIT from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar college said, “The university earlier decided that they would just promote us on earlier results but later they changed their decision. In some colleges, students are aware of the online exam and it would be taken in MCQ format with the question bank. We are even been told to set up 2 devices so that through one they could supervise us and in the other one students can give their exams. As students, we are not aware of the correct information which left us confused and anxious.”
“As we are told that our exams are going to be held in the MCQ pattern this year. And somewhere we are not comfortable with the MCQ format as a wrong question will directly give us a zero. MCQs pattern has become a bit difficult for us because neither do we have any idea about the question pattern nor the questions banks are provided”, Sweta Pandey pursuing MS-CIT from Kalina University said.
Another student Sharal Oilver doing TYBBI from GG College said, “Firstly I think this is the right decision because without exams it is hard to compile which will work for all universities across India. Secondly, if we get degrees without exams it will cause a disturbance in the future when we apply for jobs or future education in foreign countries. Talking about the MCQ pattern I don’t disagree with that process, but we’re not clear with the syllabus and question banks and these uncertainties can make students go on the edge.”
