New Delhi, Aug 7 (UNI)
The Delhi High Court on Friday gave a green signal to Delhi University (DU) to conduct online Open Book Examination (OBE) for final year undergraduate students as COVID-19 situation is still risky for taking physical papers.
However, a single-judge bench of Justice Pratibha M Singh asked the DU to follow a set of guidelines for conducting the papers.
The court ordered that an extra hour should be provided to the candidate for uploading the answer sheets on the internet.
The question paper should be made available both on online portal as well as on e-mail ID of the students, the court said.
The HC asked the university to make sure that centralised online system do not collapse from the load of answer sheets.
Also, if any student has any grievance, it should be addressed within 48 hours by the grievance cell.
And, if the grievance is not solved or remains unheard, the matter will be taken up by a Grievance Cell Committee headed by former Delhi HC judge Pratibha Rani.
Several students have filed petitions in the court challenging the OBE system of examination and calling it unfair and unjust.
As per them, many students lack internet facility or do not have access to high speed internet. Also, several students have limited online reading material or books, making it difficult to handle the examinations.
The petitioner opined that the DU should mull over assignment or project-based evaluation of papers or give marks according to internal assessment or previously conducted papers.
The DU, objecting the petition, contended that it has to conduct the examination before September 30 as per University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines.
It also mentioned that an option of taking physical exams will be made available once the COVID-19 situation normalises.
The University made clear that it is “well prepared” to conduct online exams and has signed an agreement with Common Centre Service Academy for high speed internet even in remotest areas.
The court fixed September 22 as the next date of hearing to ascertain compliance of its guidelines.
