MUMBAI: As exam dates draw closer, students from some of the city’s autonomous colleges are making last-ditch attempts to seek relief from offline exams.
While most students want online exams, a section from these colleges are seeking alternatives such as postponement of exams, more objective-driven question papers and even gaps between two papers to prepare well.
They say they have prepared for online exams for the entire year and the decision could have an impact on their cumulative grades and affect their higher education pursuits. There will be a huge disparity in their scores when compared with other colleges and some fear losing seats of choice.
The NCP students’ wing held a protest at Azad Maidan on Wednesday, which saw participation from around 100 students from autonomous and professional colleges.
A second-year student from Mithibai College, who has already taken three papers, said she was going blank in the exam hall. “We have exams scheduled almost every day without any gap. To complete the entire syllabus in a short period and write long answers without much practice is difficult for many of us,” said the student. This is the first degree college exams they are giving offline as they took admission in the middle of the pandemic.
“Our grading pattern was always different from other colleges and there was always a disparity in scores. Many good educational institutions are conducting entrance tests for postgraduate courses, irrespective of the mode of examination. What we are doing is in the larger interest of students,” said principal Krutika Desai from Mithibai.
A survey by students at NM and Mithibai colleges, a few days ago, on the preferred mode of exams found that over 99% of the total 1,700 respondents in each of these colleges opted for online.
Students from Jai Hind College met the principal on Tuesday for a final pitch. Principal Ashok Wadia said they are trying to facilitate accommodation for students. “We are seeking details from students and looking at arranging some facilities," said Wadia. He re-assured the students that the exam will not be very taxing, and the paper pattern will be similar to the online exam they appeared for last semester — 24 marks for MCQs and 36 for subjective.
The parent of a student of St Xavier’s College mentioned that the college is conducting lectures till the last week and some of the students have internal submissions till March 21. “The exams are scheduled to start from March 28, they should at least give more time to students,” said the parent. The outstation candidates also will have to shift to their temporary accommodation in this period, said the parent.
“For two years, we have done everything online. Now most of us are worried about completing the paper on time,” said a student. The college, however, has ensured that the paper pattern is balanced with MCQs and descriptive questions and students are expected to write short descriptive answers. Despite offering help for accommodation, the college has received only about 50 applications, said an official.
