Mumbai University Law Students Flag Evaluation Errors: Calls for Re-evaluation Grow Louder

Several law students from Mumbai University (MU) have come forward alleging grave errors in the evaluation of their semester examination answer sheets. This includes both three-year and five-year law programme students who appeared for their exams between April 16 and April 30, 2025.

After the June 9 result declaration, many students were shocked to find they had been marked as failed, especially in key subjects like Tax Law and the Indian Evidence Act. However, what followed was even more concerning—upon requesting photocopies of their answer sheets, students discovered that some answered questions were marked “Not Attempted (NA)”, suggesting they weren’t even evaluated.

What Went Wrong?

Here’s what the students and reports have flagged:

• Evaluated answers marked as “Not Attempted (NA)”
• Fully written responses left unmarked
• No clear record of evaluators' comments or assessments on key questions
   

One student pointed out,

“I scored 33 out of 60. But the photocopy of my answer sheet reveals that a 14-mark question was not evaluated at all.”

Voices of Protest: Student Activist Reacts

Sachin Pawar, a student activist who multiple affected students have approached, described the situation as “a serious concern.” He criticized the university’s handling of the evaluation process, stating:

“The university's callous approach is dangerous for students' future. They should conduct a re-evaluation of all papers of these subjects and declare a fresh result.”

His call has resonated with many students who now demand a transparent re-checking process and swift corrective measures.

University’s Response: Human Oversight Admitted

MU's Director of Board of Examinations and Evaluations, Pooja Raundale, has acknowledged the issue and admitted that it stemmed from human oversight. According to her statement:

• Questions like 01(i) and 4(c) were not evaluated in several answer sheets
• There is a shortage of evaluators, particularly in the Law faculty
• Action has been initiated against the evaluator concerned
   

She assured that the university is working on computer system improvements to avoid such errors in the future.

Highlights from the Incident

Here are the key facts from the ongoing issue:

• Exam Dates: April 16–30, 2025
• Results Declared: June 9, 2025
• Affected Subjects: Tax Law, Indian Evidence Act
• Errors Noticed: Marked “NA” despite answers written
•  University's Action:
  • Accepted human error
  • Initiated disciplinary action
  • Promised system upgrades
•  Demands by Students:
  • Re-evaluation of all affected papers
  • Immediate correction of scores
  • Accountability from evaluators
     

The Larger Issue: Evaluation Crisis in Higher Education?

While Mumbai University has taken the first step by acknowledging the issue, the incident underlines a more profound concern—the reliability of manual evaluation systems in higher education. The shortage of evaluators, particularly in professional programs such as law, leads to hurried or careless assessments that can significantly impact a student’s academic future.

What Can Be Done?

For institutions like MU to retain credibility, they must prioritize:

• Hiring and training more evaluators
• Introducing double-check protocols for evaluations
• Providing an easy grievance redressal mechanism for students
• Implementing AI or digital scanning systems to flag unevaluated sections
• Publicly sharing re-evaluation policies and timelines.
   

Final Thoughts

At a time when academic pressure and competition are already high, such lapses from reputed institutions can have severe consequences for students—mentally, emotionally, and professionally. Mumbai University must act swiftly to restore student trust by correcting the errors, re-evaluating all disputed papers, and ensuring such oversights never recur.