In the light of this year’s delay in declaration of results, the Mumbai University (MU) has taken certain measures and precautions in the online assessment process. However, the private agency responsible for the delay ‘MeritTrac’, appointed by former MU Vice-Chancellor Sanjay Deshmukh, will continue to manage the assessment for the upcoming semester and the year after. Subsequently, a decision will be made whether to continue with the same agency.
According to the Free Press Journal, the university has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the private agency for three years but the order to manage the online assessment through the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system is of one year. The agency will thus manage the assessment for the upcoming winter semester but it is still unsure whether will continue for the remaining two years as per the MoU.
“Though the contract is signed for three years a decision will be taken based on the performance of the agency in this winter semester. This decision will be taken at the end of one year of the contract”, said Devanand Shinde, acting Vice-Chancellor of the MU. Despite the chaos and delay, the university is continuing with the same agency as they cannot appoint any other agency midway. Shinde added, “We cannot hire a new agency midway to manage the assessment of the upcoming semester examination so we are continuing with the same agency. But we have taken the necessary precautions by identifying the loopholes in the system and have rectified the errors.”
He also said that the university has conducted a training program for teachers and principals during the Diwali vacations to explain the process and the method of assessment. The technical glitches at various centralized assessment process (CAP) centres are rectified. In addition, a monitoring team will be placed at all CAP centres to assist and prevent any kind of issue.
A few days earlier, former Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sanjay Deshmukh became the first ever Vice Chancellor in the history of the MU to be sacked. His decision to introduce an On-Screen Marking students has landed him in a slew of controversy, as multiple glitches led to delayed results, erroneous mark sheets, and further hold-up during the re-evaluation process.
