Bombay HC asks MU to provide undertaking about OSM

Mumbai: Bombay high court on Wednesday rapped Mumbai University (MU) and asked it to give an undertaking in writing by November 24 regarding the onscreen marking system (OSM). The court was hearing a petition filed by the Bombay University & College Teachers’ Union (BUCTU) seeking discontinuation of the OSM till such time proper facilities were in place. The court said that an officer should be named who would be held responsible in the event the OSM creates problems similar to the ones faced by students and teachers earlier this year.

A division bench of justices B.R. Gavai and Sandeep Shinde was hearing a writ petition filed by BUCTU praying that the OSM be discontinued as it had been implemented in a haphazard manner, creating a lot of problems, including delay in declaration of results. Counsel for BUCTU submitted that as there were many other issues related to the OSM and vendor, it would not be appropriate to continue with it for future exams i.e. the second-half exams of 2017 and first-half exams of 2018. Counsel for MU tried to allay the petitioners’ fears and informed the court that the varsity was taking measures to ensure that a repeat of the problems previously faced by students and teachers did not occur.

However, dissatisfied with MU’s assurances, the court said they were mere words and could not be accepted as the university had time and again failed to keep its word due to which students had suffered.

The bench asked the university to give an undertaking in writing till Friday, November 24, and only after that, orders would be accordingly passed.

Varsity settles firm’s first bill

RTI activist Anil Galgali has claimed that Mumbai University (MU) has provided him information about payments made to the company hired to facilitate the OSM. MrGalgali said that the university had already paid an amount of Rs 1.18 crore to the company against the total amount of Rs 4.17 crore raised by it. MrGalgali said that even though the company had destroyed the credibility of a reputed varsity like MU, payments were being made for inefficient work which should be stopped. The activist said that he had written to the governor, chief minister and education minister, demanding that no further payments be made to the company and instead, proceedings be initiated to recover damages from it. The company raised two bills in the name of the varsity; the first bill for Rs 1,48,63,750 raised on May 18, 2017 and the second bill for Rs 2,69,27,350.99 raised on August 16, 2017.