Source:
Mumbai University’s upcoming semester-end examinations for
arts, science and commerce colleges will most likely be held in December and in
the online mode. This time, though, the number of multiple choice questions
(MCQ) will be more than 25, unlike the October exams for the outgoing batch of
2019-20.
Also, proctoring or digital supervision will be made compulsory across courses,
and cases of malpractices will be dealt with stringently. The university plans
to appoint vigilance squads to oversee the conduct of exams. “These squads will
be asked to visit colleges and seek photos or video footage of students taking
exams online,” said a university official.
While the state government is yet to take a decision on reopening college campuses in the pandemic, the university plans to conduct this semester’s exams in the MCQ format, like it was done in October. Semester V exams for final-year students will be decentralised too and conducted at the college level this year, for convenience, said the official. Exams for first and second years are anyway decentralised, he added.
“The questions will be of higher difficulty levels and colleges will be asked to be extra vigilant,” he said.
The exam pattern for professional courses such as engineering and law is likely to be different. While the exams will start with second- and third-year students, the ones for first year will be held towards the end of the session, as their academic session started later. There will be no scope for revaluation, as exams will be held in the MCQ format.
The Board of Examinations (BoE) may take a final decision on semester-end exams this week. The exam schedule will be released thereafter. The decision will be applicable only for the current semester, added the official. “This batch of students is well-versed with the online platform as they have taken classes online. Colleges, too, had managed to hold final exams successfully online and are comfortable with it,” said the official.
