DU exams: HC asks Railways to try availing seats for persons with disability in emergency quota

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Ministry of Railways to make efforts to avail confirm seats for persons with disability in emergency quota in view of the limited number of trains due to the COVID-19 pandemic so they can come to the national capital and appear in the Delhi University's final year examination.

A division bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad directed that the students can book waitlist tickets and inform the Railways about the same two days in advance to ensure that they get it confirmed.

Appearing for the Railway Ministry, advocate Jagjit Singh said the railway will help in getting confirmed seats to people with disabilities. The ministry also submitted that the railways already give concession to several categories of PWD persons including visually impaired.

The bench asked senior advocate SK Rungta, appearing for petitioner National Federation of Blind, to provide a list of PWD students who will travel to Delhi from far off places. It also asked DU to file an affidavit stating the number of students who have registered for the second phase and when it is going to declare the results for the first and second phase of final year exams.

Taking note that the physical exams are going to commence on September 14, the High Court listed the matter for further hearing on September 22. The court was also informed that fresh as well as those students who want to improve their results can sit for the second phase of final year examinations.

The varsity also told the court that around 1,500 students expected to register themselves for the second phase of the examination. The court was informed that a system is already in place for providing digital certificates, which will be used for giving digital marksheet to all students.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) told the court that the provisional admission to PG courses will be permitted after September 30 until a revised academic calendar is in place and the relevant documents of the qualifying exam can be accepted after September 30.

The High Court was hearing various petitions related to the Delhi University's final year examination preparedness including one filed by Prateek Sharma and another by the National Federation of the Blind.