Lack Of Basic Infra For OSM System Leading To Delay In Semester Results: Mumbai University Professors; Move HC [Read Petition]

In a writ petition filed before the Bombay High Court, the Bombay University and College Teacher’s Union, along with five other professors from different streams and colleges affiliated to the university, have filed a writ petition alleging that thousands of students have been suffering due to improper implementation of the online screen marking (OSM) system for assessment of answer papers by the university.

The petitioners contended that the university failed to provide computers and internet facility that was required for assessment of papers under the OSM system.

Thereafter, the university issued a notice to the teachers for not assessing adequate amount of papers.

The petition stated that earlier answer sheets were assessed by examiners and moderators at Examination Bhavan and the process used to be over while the university was closed for vacation. However, for the academic year 2016-17, the university ‘abruptly’ decided to implement the OSM system.

Under this system, answer sheets are scanned and images are sent to a server, then colleges selected for centralised assessment programme (CAP) centres, micro centres, mini centres get software installed on computers available with them, messages are sent to examiners and moderators for assessment of papers who are then required to approach nearby CAP centres, micro centres, mini centres (hereinafter referred to as the centres) and marked on screen by examiners. Final scores are tabulated automatically.

The petitioners submitted that in end of May 2017, scanning was completed hastily, software for assessment were installed on computers available at centres for OSM system.

To the knowledge of the petitioners, the entire project is 100% dependent on internet connection, its speed and the speed of computers. This was and is a major problem with the project.

One of the petitioners, who is a professor in Economics, submitted that she used to finish assessment of 30-40 answer papers in a day, but due to low internet speed and server issues she could finish assessment of 285 papers only in 40 days.

Thus, the petitioners sought directions to the respondent university for the procurement of at least 2,000 computers at Kalina campus with intra-net facility and the constitution of a Board of Information Technology, as mandated by the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.