Exam Dust Settles
Mumbai University has taken a decisive step by declaring a significant number of examination papers, totaling 304, as dormant. This means these specific
exams will no longer be administered by the university. The decision stems from two primary factors: papers that have seen absolutely no student enrollment for the past two to three years, and those that are based on obsolete syllabi or outdated examination formats, which have been discontinued for a decade. A recent circular from February 10th outlines this policy. Interestingly, if an affiliated college were to propose student registrations for dormant papers that were discontinued due to lack of enrollment, the university would consider conducting those exams. However, a firm clarification from the Board of Examinations and Evaluation states that exams for courses closed for ten years will remain permanently unavailable under any circumstances. This strategic move is designed to modernize the university's academic offerings and remove administrative burdens associated with largely unused examination frameworks. The process of curriculum and examination pattern restructuring is a routine occurrence in academic institutions, often necessitating such updates to remain relevant and effective in modern educational standards.
Reasons Behind Dormancy
An official explanation from Mumbai University clarifies the rationale behind declaring these 304 exams as dormant. The primary driver is the significant decline in student interest and participation over extended periods. Specifically, 125 of these papers have experienced zero student registrations for the last two to three academic years. Another 179 papers are being retired because they adhere to old syllabi or outdated examination structures that have been phased out for a decade. This situation often arises when students are attempting to clear backlogs from previous academic years, sometimes continuing for multiple years. Even if the syllabus or examination pattern has evolved significantly by the time these students are ready to re-appear, they might still seek to take the exam under the original, familiar format. The decision to label these exams as dormant directly addresses these categories, ensuring that university resources are focused on current and relevant academic programs. Historically, examinations were declared dormant only once in 2007, primarily for papers with no student registration, while old-pattern papers still offered opportunities for students to appear. This current decision marks a more comprehensive approach to curriculum management.
Faculty Breakdown
Delving deeper into the specifics, the university has provided a detailed breakdown of the 304 dormant examinations across various faculties. Within the 125 papers that have seen no student registration for several years, the Faculty of Commerce and Management accounts for 23 papers, the Faculty of Humanities for 15, Interdisciplinary Studies for 42, and the Faculty of Science and Technology for 45 papers. Shifting to the 179 papers deemed dormant due to their outdated nature and decade-long discontinuation, the distribution is as follows: the Faculty of Science and Technology has 10 such papers, the Faculty of Humanities accounts for a substantial 86, Interdisciplinary Studies has 42, and the Faculty of Science and Technology again appears with 45 papers. These figures highlight the widespread impact of this archival process across different academic disciplines within Mumbai University. This thorough categorization ensures that the university has a clear understanding of which specific courses and papers are no longer in demand or relevant to its current academic vision, facilitating a more streamlined approach to course offerings and examinations management for future academic years.
