HC slams DU for frequently changing stand on exams

HC slams DU for frequently changing stand on exams

Abhinav.Garg@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:  10.07.2020

Delhi high court on Thursday castigated Delhi University (DU) for yet again postponing final-year examination schedule, despite giving assurances.

“We all have gone through the examination process which is nerve-wracking for the students, especially during the times of Covid-19 pandemic….Why are you pushing the exams to a date beyond August 15, knowing that careers of thousands of students are at stake?” a bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad said. The bench did not appreciate the conduct of the varsity saying it has been “turning turtle” — changing stands frequently — and noted that earlier DU claimed it is ready to conduct the open book examinations (OBE) on July 1, which it later revised to July  10.

Indicating that DU must work towards preponing the date from mid-August, the bench ordered it to file an affidavit detailing the schedule of the final-year undergraduate exams including how it proposes to conduct exams — online, off-line or both modes — besides the complete datesheet, so that students get some clarity.

The court reminded DU that examinations are nervewracking and careers of thousands of students are at stake, more so since the final year students have to be given passing out certificates and degrees to enable them to pursue higher education. It allowed DU to work out a new plan in terms of July 8 circular issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on the manner in which the exams are to be conducted, listing the matter for July 14. The bench recalled that on June 26, DU informed the court it will go ahead with conducting exams from July 1, but the next day, postponed the exams to July 10.

The same bench had on June 29 issued notice to the varsity asking why contempt proceedings be not initiated against it and its officers for trying to mislead the court by withholding information on deferment of the online OBE from July 1 to July 10. In response DU had assured it that it is firm on holding exams from July 10. “We took you (DU) on face value and asked you to file an affidavit for clarity. Now we discover you have again changed the date to beyond August 15 and there is no exact date. What do you expect us to do. You want us to constantly monitor you on conducting exams?” the bench remarked.

FUTURE TENSE: The court reminded DU that examinations are nerve-wracking and careers of thousands of students are at stake