St Xaviers, Jai Hind, Mithibai collegians ask for online exams

Many students from top autonomous colleges like St Xaviers, Mithibai, Jai Hind and Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies have expressed concerns over the decision of reverting back to the offline mode of examination while asserting that they were given online classes for the past two years.

In a riposte to which, SVKM's Mithibai College of Arts, Chauhan Institute Of Science And Amrutben Jivanlal College Of Commerce And Economics principal, Krutika Desai, said, "Offline exams is nothing new. Only because of the pandemic, students got used to everything online and got comfortable with shortcuts.”

Pointing out why there can’t be offline lectures and exams when theatres and restaurants are functioning now, she remarked, “It’s our job to guide students instead of giving them easy ways. We are only trying to get them on the right track." The students should understand that giving offline exams will help them to do well in the world outside, she added. However, the students averred that offline exams would create a disparity between the pupils from the autonomous colleges and their peers in the Mumbai University affiliated colleges.

"Mumbai University has given orders for conducting online exams but a few autonomous colleges are conducting the exams offline. There is no equality. So much disparity will happen in the marks," said a Jai Hind collegian who didn’t want to be named.

Another student from Mithibai was worried about the spread of Covid-19, given the fact that students would come from other states through different travel mediums. "Our mode of instruction has been online for two years, and we have solely given exams in MCQ format, but now the college expects us to submit long subjective answers with each question carrying ten points.

We are at a disadvantage and face discrepancies among students whose colleges are taking exams in online mode only," she added.