Mumbai: The academic futures of 5,000 engineering students at the University of Mumbai (MU) have been jeopardised due to prolonged delays in the release of re-evaluation results for their first and second semesters.
The results, delayed by seven to eight months, declared many students unsuccessful, sparking widespread protests as students find themselves unprepared for the upcoming fourth-semester examinations.
A large number of students have started a protest at the Kalina campus of the varsity. The delays have hit the 2022 batch particularly hard, a cohort already impacted by late admissions and compressed academic schedules due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With their academic year starting in November 2022 instead of July, students faced a condensed six-month timeline to complete their coursework.
Speaking about the protest, Vikas Patekar, Mumbai unit president of the Chhatrabharti Student Organisation, told the FPJ, “For months, Mumbai University has ignored the legitimate concerns of thousands of engineering students. These delays are jeopardising their academic progress and future opportunities. We will not back down until the university addresses our demands fairly and promptly.”
“The delays started with the first-semester results being released 110 days after the exams, well beyond the 45-day norm,” said Subhash Athawale of the Mumbai University College Teachers’ Association (MUCTA).
“Students who applied for revaluation didn’t receive their results before the re-examinations, leaving them uncertain about their status,” he added.
The situation escalated when re-evaluation results for the second semester were also delayed, being released in batches. Many students remain ineligible to progress to the next semester, compounding their academic challenges.
One affected student from Bhiwandi shared her frustration: “We’ve lost over a year because of MU’s inefficiencies. I discovered ATKT backlogs in six subjects after my third semester, but late results made me miss the June exams. Although I cleared some backlogs in December, MU still bars me from continuing my education.”
In February, students met with the higher education minister, who proposed finding a solution to the crisis. However, no tangible steps have been taken, leading to mounting protests against the university’s inaction.
Athawale condemned MU’s response, saying, “Thousands of students have lost a year because of the delayed revaluation results. Now, with just a month left in the second year, students are being disqualified without accountability for the university’s delays.”
MU defended its decision, with the academic council stating, “Engineering education requires specialised skills, and the credibility of an MU degree must be maintained. Exempting students from the ATKT rule would compromise these standards.”
Students countered, arguing that MU’s delays are the root cause of their challenges. “The university’s mismanagement is being unfairly blamed on us. We demand an additional opportunity to clear ATKTs and move forward with our education.”
As protests intensify, students and educators are calling on MU to address the issue and mitigate the damage caused by its administrative failures.
