HC dismisses plea of students challenging offline exams of Delhi University

The Delhi High Court on Friday ‘dismissed as withdrawn’ the plea of several Delhi University students challenging the university’s February 11 notice that sought direction for offline examination for the even semester to be held in May 2022.

Justice Rekha Palli on Friday after noting down the submission of petitioners said, “This is not the right time to pass any order. However, the Court has given the liberty to petitioners to approach the court again if there is any change in the circumstances.”

The plea also sought the issuance of direction to conduct all examinations in open book mode for the current semesters.

Eight students, including outstation students of Delhi University, stated that despite the February 9 order, the classes of the petitioners and other students of various colleges continued to be conducted through online mode and for that they were provided links from time to time on their respective mobile for attending their classes.

The plea moved through Advocate Ajay Kumar Srivastava stated that in the present situation where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly and a large number of people are getting infected in Delhi, the University ought to reconsider its notice dated February 11.

The petition further stated over 65 per cent of those who are pursuing their education at Delhi University are outstation students and they do not have their own conveyances to travel to their colleges. In the prevalent situation, it is not at all safe for them to use public conveyance to appear for their respective examination.

The petitioners and other students who have completed their semester through online mode cannot be compelled to appear in the examination through physical mode, said the plea.

The plea also said that due to the change in the COVID situation in Delhi, the Delhi University has taken a decision to continue its inaugural function of a yearlong celebration in virtual mode as such at the same time there is no justification for conducting the examination of even semester in May 2020 in the physical mode.