DU Informs HC To Conduct Online Exams From July 10; Left Out Students Can Appear In Physical Exams In September

The Delhi University informed Delhi High Court on July 6, 2020 that it will be conducting Open Book Examinations (OBE) for undergraduate courses from July 10, 2020.

The students who will not be able to appear in the OBE will be allowed to appear in the physical examinations to be conducted in September 2020.

The varsity said that the physical exam opportunity will be provided irrespective of whether the students have filled the applications online or not and also in those cases where questions papers have been downloaded but failed to upload the answer sheets.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said, " For purposes of clarity and to avoid any ambiguity, it is deemed appropriate to direct the Delhi University to file an affidavit clarifying its stand as recorded above and on any other aspect stated before us so that appropriate orders can be passed on the next date."

The plea filed states that Universities, schools, colleges and other educational institutions have been conducting online teaching amid COVID-19, but no efforts have been made by the state government to consider the need of visually impaired and specially-abled individuals.

The hearing against the plea by Prateek Sharma and Diksha Singh seeking directions to the centre for setting up an effective mechanism for visually impaired and other disabled persons and asked for teaching material to be provided to them through online mode amid COVID-19 outbreak.

Earlier, Delhi HC had asked Delhi University why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against it and its officers for trying to mislead the court by withholding information on deferment of online open-book exams (OBE).

The DU exams which were scheduled to be held from July 1, 2020, have been deferred by another 10 days and will now be conducted from July 10, 2020.

The senior advocate Sachin Dutta said in the hearing that as a run-up to the main examinations, the mock exams have been conducted from July 4, 2020 and will conclude on July 8, 2020. Thereafter, the OBE will commence from July 10, 2020.

The Delhi High Court posed certain queries to the DU from students who are studying in the final year of UG courses and seeking admission in the PG courses, they are not in the position to take the exams through the OBE system conducted remotely and instead wait for the physical examinations to be conducted in September.

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The Varsity's Counsel responded to this saying that students will be provisionally granted admission in the PG courses offered by DU, subject to the condition that they meet the eligibility criteria after the UG results are declared and also subject to their entrance results.

The bench said that on June 26, 2020 when the bench was dictating an order to dispose of the petition on the basis of the DU's statement that it was geared up to commence exams from July 1, 2020, the varsity didn't inform in the hearing.

The DU, said in its defence that decision was taken after it came to know on June 26, 2020 at around 2:20 p.m. that the mother of its Deputy Registrar (secrecy) was tested COVID-19 positive and the entire family had to be quarantined.