The declaration of the exam date for the postponed Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) exam has raised a stir in the University of Mumbai as management council members have warned University authorities against rescheduling their own exams. The MPSC exam will be held on May 18, the day on which the University has scheduled exams for TYBA, engineering and IT courses. The members have said that they would create a ruckus if the University rescheduled the exams that are already running behind schedule due to the teachers’ agitation.
“The University has to stand up to the MPSC authorities and protest against the date on which the exam has been scheduled. It seems that the MPSC has scheduled the exam without taking into consideration the University exams,” said Dilip Karande, senator and management council member, Mumbai University.
“The students have already been put to too much inconvenience due to the teachers’ strike as a result of which the exams have been delayed. A postponement would only add to their misery,” said Mr Karande, who is senior most Yuva Sena representative on the senate.
A University official agreed that the MPSC exam was ill-timed and rather than it being held on a Saturday, it should have been scheduled on the next day, a Sunday. “No University schedules important exams on Sundays and hence it would be more appropriate for the MPSC exam to be held on that day,” said the official.
When asked about the possibility of the University exams being rescheduled, Dr Naresh Chandra, pro-vice-chancellor, MU said that there was no question of their exams being postponed. “Our exam schedule was made well in advance. The MPSC officials should have confirmed with the University as to whether our exams would clash with theirs. We will be going as per our schedule,” said Dr Chandra.
MPSC chairman Sudhir Thakre was unavailable for comment.