Mumbai: The University of Mumbai recently announced the results of the B.Com Semester 5 examination for the summer session of the academic year 2022-23, revealing that only 51.36 per cent of students managed to pass the test. The results, declared by the Board of Examinations and Evaluation, shed light on the challenges faced by students during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The B.Com Semester 5 exam, which was conducted in May 2023, saw a total of 36,105 students registering for the examination. Out of this cohort, 34,040 students appeared for the test, while 2,065 students were marked absent. Of those who appeared, 16,782 students succeeded in clearing all the papers, while a staggering 15,892 students, unfortunately, failed to meet the passing criteria.
It is worth noting that a significant number of these students had already attempted to clear the same examination during the regular session held in November-December the previous year. The repeat exam was undertaken by those who had failed to secure a passing grade in their initial attempt, and it appears that the pandemic-induced disruptions have significantly impacted their academic performance.
The University of Mumbai's B.Com program enrols one of the largest cohorts of students across affiliated colleges, making the results of this examination particularly crucial. The pandemic had forced educational institutions to shift to online teaching and evaluation, leading to learning loss and adjustment challenges for students.
University officials have acknowledged that the transition back to the subjective question pattern of exams posed difficulties for students who had grown accustomed to a different format during the pandemic. Despite the low passing rates, they expressed optimism that the students' performance had shown improvement over time.
The impact of the pandemic on academic outcomes is not limited to the Commerce stream alone. Similar trends were observed in the Semester 5 examinations of two other major courses, BA (Bachelor of Arts) and BSc (Bachelor of Science), where only 33.45 per cent and 36.27 per cent of students passed, respectively. The university is yet to announce the results of repeat exams for these programs.
Additionally, the passing rates for the regular Semester 6 exams for all three courses (B.Com, BA, and BSc), held in April-May, were found to be below 40 per cent, indicating a need for further improvements in academic performance.
However, there is a silver lining in the results for students enrolled in self-financed courses. For instance, the success rate in the regular Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) Semester 5 exam was an encouraging 70.28 per cent, which rose to 71 per cent in Semester 6.
Arvind Luhar, a Commerce Professor at Ismail Yusuf College in Jogeshwari and a Member of MU's Academic Council, pointed out that students faced challenges with practical-oriented subjects like Financial Accountancy, Cost Accountancy, and Taxation. The lack of physical classes during the pandemic caused students to lose touch with these practical aspects of their education. Furthermore, many students had to prioritize meeting the financial needs of their families, leading to a temporary shift in focus from their studies.
The university is now providing remedial coaching to help struggling students bridge the gap in their understanding of the subjects. Educators hope that, with the necessary support and adjustments, the academic results will return to normal levels in the upcoming examinations.
Students can access their results and other examination-related information on the official website of the University of Mumbai, http://www.mumresults.in/.
The challenges brought on by the pandemic have underscored the importance of addressing the unique needs of students and implementing strategies to mitigate the learning loss they experienced during these difficult times.
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