The Mumbai University at its sadistic best

The University of Mumbai has done it again!! It has violated one of the most basic legal principles you will read. Let me explain:

Before the 2nd sem last year, the average percentage of people getting 1st classes in the 3rd year and further over the past 5-6 years was precisely 0%. Then in the 2nd sem last year (under a court order, I might add) they decided / had to change our exam pattern. Details of this is easy to come by - the objective section plus lowering 1st class to 60% etc.

The result: 35% 1st classes, 97% passes in the final year. Now this is too much for the guy who prints degree certificates, because suddenly he needs to use a new plate...one with "First Class" on it. ("How dare they???", he says of the Univ)

Anyway, in a first step to (kindly excuse the expression) screw us over, they give us a timetable as follows:

19th Nov - Admn Law
21st Nov - Family II
22nd Nov - Transfer of Prop & easements (TOP)
23rd Nov - Company Law

Now, TOP and Company are subjects which cant be revised in half a day even if I wanted to. In any case - this is ok...a challenge thrown to us...we are willing to take it up.

But then it seems the Univ pleaded its own incompetence. (incidentally my favourite answer to a question from the bench in a moot - "I plead Your Lordship's ignorance") It claimed (unofficially) that the time table was a mistake. Someone forgot to make sure that the KT exams weren't clashing with the regular ones.

KT papers are Keep Term papers aka papers you've ducked in previously. It is a concept which enables someone who's failed one year to go on to the next. (with some safeguards though!!) It's a concept many students bless. I am yet to take advantage of it and hope never to either.

So taking this as an excellent opportunity to pursue their policy to decrease the number of first classes and passes, the Univ preponed our exams by 5 days, less than a month before when it is now scheduled to start!!

The maxim which forbids this sort of thing in a court of law is nullus commudum capere potest de injuria sua propria - No man can take advantage of his own wrong.

This entire bit above may well sound like a pretty far fetched conspiracy theory, but trust me when I say that the Bombay Univ is one ofthe most student unfriendly Univ's you will ever see. Add to this the fact that there is no real students' organisation (Student Unions being banned in Maharashtra) and you have a Univ doing what it likes while a docile bunch of students writes letters to the TOI editor as the ultimate form of protest.

The Univ has had its share of backlash from GLC, at least. Being law students and many having successful lawyers and counsels as parents (some judges too!!), the Bombay HC has seen quite a few writs and PILs from us.

And yet they continue to torment us...are they just plain dumb or what?

Something has to be done about this sort of nonsense. But to be quite honest, most of us still in College are just a tad too scared of consequent victimisation in terms of acads (itcan happen) to do anything about it.

Two things therefore:
1. Any of you with bright ideas / know anyone with bright ideas to do something about this - please let me know and sign me up.
2. I didn't say any of the above - please don't quote me.