Law students urge MU to nix 60:40 exam style

MUMBAI: The law students of the University of Mumbai (MU) have issued an online petition to the Vice Chancellor of the varsity to withdraw the decision of 60:40 examination pattern for their faculty.

Through the petition, the students have also alleged that the varsity has not taken any approval from the Bar Council of India (BCI) before implementing the new format.

As per the 60:40 pattern, the 40 marks will be for internal assessment which will include projects, practicals, attendance, etc. According to the students, this move will increase corruption and mismanagement at the college level.

“We have been studying for a 100 mark theory examination and suddenly they announce that the pattern has been changed and reduced to 60 marks. However, the topics and the syllabus remains the same. Does it make sense to now study the entire thing for 60 marks instead of 100 marks,” said a law student on the condition of anonymity.  

Students feel the academics of law faculty is vast and diverse so the focus should be on written exam instead of internal assessment.

“They are degrading the quality of education and the results by changing the pattern of marks. Everywhere else they have 100 marks policy for Law but only at MU we are following the 60 marks pattern. In this format, students can woo their professors and score easily in the 40 marks and pass the exam. But is it how they are supposed to pass,” asked Sachin Pawar, president of Students’ Law Council, a student’s welfare group of MU.

Mr Pawar further added that recently Solapur University scrapped the 60:40 pattern and went back to 100 marks as it does not work out in Law. “While for Arts, Science and Com-
merce it works but for Law, things are different and the varsity should understand that,” he added.

Through the petition, which will be sent to the VC Suhas Pednekar, the students want the varsity to scrap the policy and make it back to 100 marks for the students' welfare.