Delhi University final year UG exams postponed, to be held after August 15

Delhi University has decided to postpone DU final year undergraduate exams, scheduled to commence from July 10, to August. The decision comes two days after DU informed the Delhi High Court that Open Book Examinations (OBE) for under-graduate courses will commence from July 10 and those students who are unable to take them, be it persons with disabilities or others, will be allowed to appear for the exams physically in September.

The DU informed the Delhi High Court that it would hold the exams after August 15.

The court, which conducted the hearing through video conferencing, expressed displeasure over the varsity's decision and said, just see how you are playing the lives of children.

You were not fair with the court about your preparedness for holding the online examinations. You are saying you are ready but the minutes of your meeting shows the contrary, Justice Singh told the DU counsel.

Senior advocate Sachin Dutta and advocate Mohinder Rupal, appearing for the DU, submitted that the varsity has taken a decision to postpone the exams from July 10.

The court will resume the hearing in the matter at 2:30 PM.

The high court was hearing a petition by several final year DU students seeking quashing and withdrawal of the notifications of May 14, May 30 and June 27 on online exams for undergraduate and postgraduate students, including of the School of Open Learning and Non-Collegiate Women Education Board.

On Monday, the HRD Ministry announced final-year examinations in universities will have to be conducted by September-end.

The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) expressed its disappointment over the UGC guidelines on exams, saying that they show "complete disregard for students".

DUTA, in a statement, said it "is appalled at the manner in which the government has cleared the way for forcing a sham of an exam on students".

"An exam that has no sanctity and is discriminatory towards a large section of students is clearly being pushed with no other motive than to promote big business in education," it said.

"The UGC and HRD Ministry have shown a complete disregard for students with the revised guidelines," it added.

Despite widespread reporting that the mock tests in Delhi University were ridden with glitches, the UGC has declared that it will not ask universities to cancel exams, the teachers' association said.