Chaos ruled the roost on the first day of the final year exams of undergrad and postgrad students of the University of Mumbai. This isn't something new to the varsity. You wouldn't be wrong if you call it the third anniversary of chaos!
The exams were delayed at many centres on Monday and Tuesday for two different reasons.
On the first day, the delay was attributed to 'wrong password' provided by the varsity to access the web-link that gives access to the question papers by entering another password. The correct password was sent after colleges pointed out the error.
"However, it took another half-an-hour to print the question papers and staple them. We could start the exam at 11:30am instead of 11. The students were given an extra 30 minutes to complete the paper," said Prof SS Sharma, principal, Vaze College, Mulund. More than six papers of BA and M Sc were scheduled for Monday. The goof-up saw hundreds of students fretting with anxiety.
On Tuesday the exam was delayed at two centres for a different reason. Over 25 candidates who reached Khalsa College in Matunga for the BA exam were stunned not to find their names on the candidates' list.
"It was their first paper, and was scheduled at 11am. They had come to the centre as per the list provided by their college. Extra question papers were printed for them," said Prof Ajit Kumar of the college. For them the exam began at 11:30 am.
A student of Bachelor of Library Science had a similar experience, at Ruia College in Matunga. "Our college was not the centre for the subject. We, however, arranged the paper for her from a Thane centre through fax. She could start writing by 11:10am," said a Ruia College official.
The controller of the exam didn't respond to our calls. Pro-vice chancellor Naresh Chandra said he would call back in an hour.
According to a highly-placed official, the exam centres of at least 500 students were changed a day before, and the fresh list was updated online. Obviously, these students remained unaware about the development and proceeded to the centres originally assigned to them. He blamed the outsourcing firm, MKCL, for the anomaly.
