Mumbai, July 28 -- Around a hundred of students of the University of Mumbai (MU) gathered at its Fort campus on Sunday, coinciding with a Senate meeting, to protest against errors in evaluation of their answer sheets. Students, particularly from the engineering stream, alleged they were erroneously marked 'NA' (not attempted) for questions they had actually attempted and demanded a re-evaluation of their answer sheets. The issue cast its shadow on the Senate meeting too, as several Senate members staged a walkout after multiple adjournment motions seeking discussion on erroneous evaluation and other issues affecting students were disregarded. "Over 1,000 students have complained about errors in evaluation, which have deeply impacted their academic lives," said Sheetal Sheth, a representative of graduates from the university in the Senate, and a member of Shiv Sena (UBT)'s student wing, Yuva Sena. "Yet, university authorities ruled out a discussion on the matter." The issue was raised in the meeting in dramatic fashion by Sheth's Yuva Sena colleague and fellow Senate member, Pradeep Sawant, who dumped copies of the affected answer sheets in front of the vice-chancellor, professor Ravindra Kulkarni. While the university administration assured that the matter would be referred to the Board of Examinations, the vice-chancellor did not approve an adjournment motion seeking a discussion on it. In all, 20 adjournment motions were moved for Sunday's meeting, on issues concerning students, teachers, and college managements. But only one adjournment motion on problems encountered by colleges in enrolling students, moved by Yuva Sena member Milind Satam, was approved for discussion, prompting several representatives of students and teachers in the Senate to stage a walkout. The members accused the university administration of suppressing students' concerns and Satam too walked out with them, choosing not to make a presentation on the issue he had raised. "There is no rule limiting adjournment motions. All issues affecting students must be allowed," said Senate member, advocate Alpesh Bhoir. "This is against the spirit of democracy." Professor Chandrashekhar Kulkarni from the Bombay University and College Teachers' Union (BUCTU), who was among the members who staged a walkout, alleged that denying adjournment motions was against the Senate tradition. "Several members may resign and meet the Governor (the chancellor of the university) if the situation continues," he said. Both BUCTU and Yuva Sena members have decided to approach the governor with their concerns, members who attended Sunday's meeting told HT. The Senate of MU on Sunday approved the establishment of 15 new multidisciplinary skill-based colleges and two traditional applied colleges in the state under the university's master plan for 2026-27. The colleges will come up in Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, and Palghar districts. Senate member Shashikant Zore raised concerns about the move, saying several existing colleges were struggling with low admissions. "Many colleges cannot fill seats. How will the university manage new ones?" he asked. Hanumant Sutar, a professor from Mandangad tehsil in Ratnagiri district, backed Zore, saying there were three colleges in his area which were facing enrollment issues. "Allowing a new college in the same area is utterly unrealistic," he said in the meeting. Vice-chancellor Kulkarni clarified that the colleges had already been included in the prospective plan approved last year and were being re-approved now as per state government norms for implementation in 2026-27. The Senate on Sunday also approved statutes to grant academic and administrative autonomy to various university departments, which will allow them to create and revise courses, decide assessment methods and manage their own finances. The move would encourage innovation, efficiency, and better research, said Kulkarni. But some senate members opposed the move, saying autonomous departments charge high fees, which would force poor students to drop out from higher education....