Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has announced the implementation of the 'Carry On' facility for engineering students in the academic year 2024-25, aiming to provide relief to students facing academic hurdles. The decision, announced through a government resolution (GR) issued on Monday, ensures uniformity across universities under the state’s Higher and Technical Education Department.
According to the GR, students who failed in the first year will be allowed to progress to the third year (5th semester), while those who failed in the second year can advance to the fourth year (7th semester). The eligibility for progression will be determined based on the results of the winter session 2024-25, rather than the summer session 2023-24.
The move follows demands from students, student organisations, Senate members, and public representatives to implement the provision across all universities in Maharashtra. The Director of Technical Education had earlier noted that while some universities had already introduced the facility, others had yet to implement it, leading to disparities in academic policies.
As reported by this newspaper in January in two separate reports, hundreds of engineering students of Mumbai University (MU) had protested at the Kalina campus demanding the policy at the university. Students have welcomed the move.
"This decision comes as a huge relief. Many of us were worried about losing a year due to academic backlogs. Now, we have a chance to move forward," said an engineering student at MU. "We protested because we wanted a fair chance. Seeing the government respond positively shows that our voices matter," added another student.
As per the directive, examinations for students benefiting from this provision will be conducted simultaneously with the summer semester examination. However, students must take responsibility for completing coursework from their previous semesters and are required to submit an undertaking to their respective institutions.
Universities that have already granted the 'Carry On' facility for 2024-25 are exempt from this directive. The government has clarified that the provision is an exceptional measure, applicable only for the current academic year, and will not be extended to subsequent years.
The Maharashtra government has stated that the directive has been issued under the authority of the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016, and the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University Act, 2014.
