Say the word(count): Demand Mumbai University's post-grad students

The absence of a set word count for answers by the University of Mumbai (MU) has sent students on a writing marathon in the hope of securing the most marks. Thus, Shomit Salunkhe wrote an answer that ran into 62 pages for a 25-mark question and passed, but Ameen Mallik's (name changed) answer for a 20-mark question was contained by only six pages; she failed.

Other centralised universities mention a clear word limit in the paper. For example, questions set by the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) are framed thus: '10-mark question, explain within 500 words'.

Other private and public universities follow a similar pattern. But not MU, and students are demanding a change. A group wrote to the Vice-Chancellor and Board of Examination and Evaluation (BoEE) this week, demanding word count to be mentioned for each question.

"A friend told me that she wrote nine pages for the same question. She passed," said Mallik. With a Masters in Arts from IGNOU, she is used to a clear word count. "(Usually) A 20-mark question has to be answered in 500 words. This way, we can sift away any rubbish that could diminish the quality of answers," she said.

Salunke, an M.Phil scholar, feels the knowledge of students is judged solely on the length of answers. "In one exam, I wrote 15 pages for a 25-mark question and in another, I crossed 60 pages fearing they would fail me if they found it insufficient," he said.

Close to 85% of the total number of students who appeared for the Master of Laws examination this year failed it. One of the reasons for this, say students, is the verbosity expected of them.

Examiners confirm this.

"We have been told to follow certain protocols in assessment," a guest faculty member in a South Bombay college said. "If question carries 10 to 15 marks, we expect a student to write around 10 pages, which amounts to 2,000 words. It sounds unreasonable, but assessors are told to check for quantity first, then quality."

"We are bringing about certain changes in the examination house and this is one of them," a senior MU official told DNA. "However, the students who are complaining are the ones who never turn up for lectures. If they skip classes, how will they know what and how much to write?"