DU Exams: Delhi HC Directs Centre And Railways To Consider Providing Assistance To PwD Students Willing To Take Physical Exams In Delhi

While issuing notice to the Ministry of Railways, the Division Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad has directed all the three Ministries to submit separate affidavits on steps taken to ensure that PwD category students, from remote areas such as Bihar, UP and Chhattisgarh, are able to come to Delhi at least 5 days prior to the commencement of DU's physical exams.

The order has come in petitions filed by Prateek Sharma and National Federation of Blind, seeking adequate assistance for students falling under the PwD category and Visually Handicapped (VH) category for enabling them to take final year exams of the Delhi University.

Today, Senior Advocate SK Rungta, who was appearing for the National Federation of Blind, informed the court that around 222 students under VH category would be opting for the physical mode of examinations.

Mr Rungta further submitted that most of these students are living in remote areas of Bihar, eastern UP and Chhattisgarh, and it would be extremely difficult for them to arrange finances to come to Delhi to participate in the physical exams.

While arguing that it is the responsibility of the state in these extraordinary times to financially support the PwD and VH category students, Mr Rungta assured the court that the expenses pertaining to the boarding and lodging of these students in Delhi will be borne by the National Federation of Blind.

'It is easier for students in Delhi to arrange for scribes. However, students living in remote areas will not have similar arrangements, and they will be forced to come to Delhi to take the physical exams and arrange for scribes', Mr Rungta argued.

On the other hand, Senior Advocate Saurav Datta, who appeared for DU, informed the court that the University has provided the leftover students options to either physically appear for the exam or take it remotely and submit the answer sheets through email.

While directing the concerned Union Ministries to work out a plan for assisting the PwD category students in remote areas, the court also directed NFB to provide a list of students of the total number of PwD and VH category students from remote areas, who would be willing to come to Delhi to take the physical exams, to all the concerned Ministries.

In addition to this, the court also directed the Delhi University to add a paragraph in its examination notification stating that the leftover students from remote areas who fall under the PwD and VH categories and are willing to take physical exams in Delhi, are required to send their requests for the same to the University through email latest by September 04.