This is an archive article published on October 7, 2020
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Students protest as technical glitches mar MU’s distance education exam again
On October 3, the first day of the exam, several students had not been able to take the exam due to technical glitches, forcing the institute to release re-exam dates. Around 8,000 undergraduate students are appearing for the exam that will continue till October 17.
Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi state vice-president Santosh Gangurde also demanded the university to cancel the final-year exams till the issue about the technical service providers was resolved.
Final-year students of University of Mumbai’s Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) staged a protest outside its Kalina campus on Tuesday after many of them failed to access the links for their online tests, for the second day in a row.
On October 3, the first day of the exam, several students had not been able to take the exam due to technical glitches, forcing the institute to release re-exam dates. Around 8,000 undergraduate students are appearing for the exam that will continue till October 17.
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After facing flak, IDOL released a statement Tuesday postponing the day’s exam for all third-year BA and BCom students due to “technical reasons”. The institute is yet to declare the new dates.
A Bangalore-based software company, Little More Innovation, has been selected by the university to conduct the online exams through a mobile application — Mumbai University examination app. Students, however, claimed their computer screens remained blank even after they logged in to the app, whereas some did not receive login details for the exam.
MU’s senate members, associated with the Yuva Sena, have demanded an inquiry committee into the matter. “Students are upset that such incidents occur… despite the six-month-long controversy over the matter. We demand an inquiry committee be set up,” they said in a letter to MU.
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Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi state vice-president Santosh Gangurde also demanded the university to cancel the final-year exams till the issue about the technical service providers was resolved.
Subhash Athavale, chief secretary, Maharashtra University and College Teachers Association, said: “The university’s claims that the exams are running smoothly have failed. The university should have inquired properly about the software before opening it up to students.” Athavle also called for a high-level committee to investigate into the matter.
MU’s controller of examination Vinod Patil remained unavailable for comment. IDOL spokesperson, Vinod Malale, said the exact cause of technical glitches was not known. On Monday, the university had released additional telephonic helplines and email addresses for students.
Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi state vice-president Santosh Gangurde also demanded the university to cancel the final-year exams till the issue about the technical service providers was resolved. 
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