Mumbai University Clarifies No Exam Postponement Amid India-Pakistan Conflict

While the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan rose in the wake of recent Indian army strikes, a series of misinformation propelled the public fear—this time by University of Mumbai students. There had also been a viral social media notice claiming falsely that "all exams have been postponed due to a war situation." The university promptly denied the notice, releasing an instant clarification in the form of an official statement on X (formerly Twitter), which assured that no such announcement had been made and all exams would go ahead as scheduled.

This disinformation came at a time when hardly after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, 2025, an attack on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. Official reports say that the operation took 26 lives, 46 injured,, and five casualties in retaliatory Pakistani shelling in India. In such a situation having been kindled, any hint of steps of emergency—particularly education and public safety measures—can spread fear far and wide.

The pretext notice was worded such that it nearly matched the tone, format of the real university notice, formal language, and font, so the notice appeared even more real to unsuspecting students. There was thus outright panic, especially from those who commute using public transport when working and going home and were already worried because of the unstable times at the borders. Most of the students had already expressed safety concerns in addition to asking for more clarification from university officials.

After the event, the University of Mumbai not only established that the circular had been false but also cautioned in strong language about the implications of the law against spreading misinformation. "Spreading misinformation is an offense which will attract punishment," cautioned the university, asking its students to use only official mediums of the university—like the website and original social media profiles—for any message or update.

It must be admitted that the university has previously deferred exams—though only in proven and genuine situations. For instance, on July 8, 2024, the B.Sc. (Hospitality Studies) Semester V exam was validly deferred because of continuous rain, the announcement having been made by the university on its official website. 

The incident is also a stark reminder of how disinformation can heighten public fear especially when there is national unease and highlights the responsibility of individuals to verify facts before putting up any content on the internet.