Delhi University likely to postpone Open Book Examinations by a month

Guwahati: After the University Grants Commission (UGC) directive to higher education institutions to assess their graduating batch by the end of September, it has come to light that the Delhi University is likely to defer its open book exam by a month.

According to reports in the media, the open book exams, originally scheduled to start from July 10, may now be held after August 15. On Tuesday, the University's final-year exams and admission calendar were discussed at a meeting called by HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, who tweeted, "Held a meeting with officials of @HRDMinistry and Delhi University today to discuss a synchronised calendar for DU admissions & #CBSE board examination results etc. I would like to assure everyone that we at MHRD are committed to students' health and quality education."

The DU is also looking to extend its admission window to accommodate students appearing for JEE (Main), NEET, and JEE (Advanced) -- all scheduled to be held in September. It has been reported that the DU's admission process may only be over after these entrance tests and the new academic session for first-year students is likely to start in November.

Meanwhile, the university's decision to evaluate students online has been met with simmering discontent and the meeting between the university representatives and ministry officials was held amidst the controversy over the issue.

Last week, DU's attempt at a dry run saw complaints from final year students, many of whom faced difficulty in registering and uploading answer scripts. Some were even allotted incorrect question papers. Teachers said they were inundated with panic calls and messages from students, as #DUAgainstOnlineExams trended on Twitter.

Meanwhile, the UGC and Ministry of Home Affairs said Monday that final year or terminal semester exams would have to be compulsorily conducted by September-end. Thus, the DU is unlikely to cancel exams.

Yesterday, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi University to clarify whether there would be a change in the schedule of the online Open Book Examinations which are slated to commence from July 10. While passing the said directions, a single-judge bench of the high court presided by Justice Pratibha M. Singh remarked that students cannot be expected to prepare in a state of "trauma."

The remarks came after the officials of the Delhi University sought more to time to respond to the query of the court regarding any change in the date sheet and schedule of the examinations. During the course of the hearing, through its counsel Sachin Dutta and Dean Examinations Vinay Gupta, Delhi University told the bench that only a "tentative schedule" can be given owing to the "extraordinary circumstances."

Also Watch: Get Set Global: Deep Dive With The UK Frontliners