Delhi HC Directs Delhi University To Conduct Physical Exams by Sep 14, Work Out Modalities For Stay and Transportation of PwD Category Students

In addition to the Delhi University, even the Ministry of Human Resource Development has been directed to submit an affidavit on modalities for ensuring easy access to PwD category students to examination centres for physical exams.

While asking the Delhi University to conduct the physical examinations by September 14, the Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad has further directed the Delhi University to submit details about how many students submitted their answer sheets for online Open Book Exams though emails so that a clear picture can be ascertained about the efficacy of the entire process.

In today's proceedings, the Delhi University informed the court that out of 38058 students who were expected to take the exams on August 10, 36663 students registered and 33957 students actually uploaded the answer sheets on the portal.

For the PwD category, 358 students were expected to take the exams, out of which 308 registered and 258 students actually attempted the exam.

'These figures do not include those students who sent their answer sheets through email and did not upload them on the portal', DU informed the court.

Appearing on the behalf of the Grievance Redressal Committee, Mr BB Gupta informed the court that the Delhi University did not share the passwords of the grievance emails sent by the students.

It was further informed by Mr Gupta, that despite the Committee having its meeting on the Indepence Day as well, the Delhi University did not share the details of the Grievance Officers with the Committee.

The court expressed its disappointment with the fact that the Grievance Redressal Committee was not allowed to function properly despite the orders of the court. The court pulled up the University and said:

'Why are you maintaining so much secrecy around the passwords? Why are you frustrating the cause of the Grievance Redressal Committee? Should we issue contempt notice to your officers?'

When the court directed the Delhi University to immediately send the details of the Grievance Officers to the Committee, the same was done during the course of the proceedings.

Petitioner Prateek Sharma also informed the court that many students are unable to apply for Post Graduate courses as the University has not provided them with mark sheets for the fifth semester. The court was also informed that many other Universities are demanding provisional certificates from students who are seeking admissions in Post Graduate courses.

In light of these facts, the court directed the Delhi University to provide digital marks sheets to the students for the past semesters. In addition to this, the court directed the University Grants Commission to issue an advisory to all Universities to not to demand provisional certificates for admissions in Postgraduate courses as according to UGC's own guidelines, Universities are granted time till end of September to finish exams for Undergraduate courses.

For students applying to Universities abroad, the court directed the Delhi University to make an Email ID for students who have received provisional admission in foreign universities but can't submit provisional certificates due to delay in declaration of results. These students will send a mail to the said ID indicating their cause, and subsequently, the University will send 'Letter of Request' to all these foreign Universities requesting them to postpone the requirement of submitting provisional certificates in light of delay caused in declaration of results.