28 October,2026 08:22 AM IST | Mumbai | Ritika Gondhalekar
The two exam centres in Palghar lack basic facilities such as drinking water and poor washroom conditions. PICS/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Students appearing for B.Com (Bachelor of Commerce) examinations at two Mumbai University-affiliated centres in Palghar have alleged malpractices, claiming that staff members were helping candidates enrolled at the respective colleges cheat. The students also raised concerns over the alleged absence of CCTV cameras inside examination halls and poor basic facilities at both centres.
The allegations concern Gokhale Education Society's Arts, Commerce and Science College in Jawhar and Sanjeevan Gramin Vaidyakiya and Samajik Sahitya Pratishthan's Arts, Commerce and Science College in Vikramgad, both in Palghar. Students appearing from outside these institutions have questioned whether examinations are being conducted fairly and demanded an investigation by Mumbai University (MU).
Another student questioned the alleged lack of CCTV surveillance inside classrooms. "If the authorities are confident that everything is being conducted fairly, they should show the CCTV footage and clear the doubts raised by us. None of the classrooms had CCTV in any of the corners. There should be transparency in the examination process," said Pradeep Aghari, another examinee.
The candidates have also complained about inadequate drinking water and poor washroom facilities at both centres, alleging that the arrangements were insufficient for students appearing for university examinations.
Adding to their difficulties, the candidates further claimed that the examination centres were changed at the last minute, leaving them scrambling to familiarise themselves with the new venues. The students also claimed that there were no proper signboards to guide them to their allotted classrooms and that they received little assistance from the staff. "We were left to find our classrooms on our own, without proper directions or signboards. This created confusion, and some students reached their examination halls late," said Udya Gupta, another
candidate appearing for the exam.
>> Arrange for the printing of question papers for the examinations
>> Check for appointment/assignment letter
>> Submit the specimen answer sheet
>> Carry out the checking through software and affix a barcode sticker
>> Record the total number of question papers received against the original timetable
>> Record the number of 'No Candidates' (NC) against the student count
>> Before the examination, issue a circular for a mock drill
Responding to the concerns raised by the examinees, a Mumbai University official said that the institute will look into the matter immediately and do so as per the rules.
"We have written multiple complaints. It has been almost 10 days since the recent complaint letter, which was signed by many students, but there is no response and no action has been taken," said Neel Chavhan, one of the complainants.
