Delhi HC Directs Railways To Assist PwD Category Students Travelling To Delhi For DU Exams

The Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad has asked the Indian Railways to ensure that such students face no difficulty in reserving their seats in the concerned trains in order to reach Delhi in time to prepare for their exams.

The order has come in a bunch of writ petitions seeking adequate addressal of special needs of disabled students for taking the exams conducted by the Delhi University.

Today, the Indian Railways informed the court that it already provides concession in ticket rates for persons in PwD category and the procedure for availing the same has been specified on its website.

Indian Railways further assured the court that all steps will be taken to ensure that students who have booked their tickets but are languishing in the waiting list are given reserved berths in time.

On the issue of online open book exams (OBE), the Delhi University informed the court that most of the students who were willing to take their exams through the said mode have successfully done so.

The University further informed the court that the leftover students have an option of either coming to Delhi and appear for physical exams or take the same from their respective hometowns.

The court was also informed that in compliance with the court's last order, an email ID has been operationalised for students wishing to pursue their graduate studies in Universities abroad. Concerned students can now send their requests seeking postponement to the said ID and the same will then be processed by the University.

The Delhi University also assured the court that the mark sheets for fifth semester will be made available online within 2 days. Moreover, a system has been put in place to ensure that the digital degree certificates are issued to both past and present students.

In light of these submissions, the court directed the Delhi University to submit an affidavit stating the exact date for declaration of results for the first phase of examinations.

On the issue of post-graduate admissions, the University Grants Commission informed the court that it has advised all the Universities to continue providing provisional admission to eligible students even after September 30, till the revised academic plan is issued by the UGC.

UGC also clarified that the said Universities can also accept provisional certificates after the deadline of September 30.