On Friday, May 6, the plea of several Delhi University students was "dismissed as withdrawn" by the Delhi High Court. The plea challenged the university's February 11 notice that sought direction for offline examinations for even semester exams which are to be held in May 2022.
"This is not the right time to pass any order,'' said Justice Rekha Palli on Friday after she noted down the submission of the petitioners. "However, the Court has given the liberty to petitioners to approach the court again if there is any change in the circumstances," she added, as per a report in ANI.
In addition, the plea also sought the issuance of direction to conduct all the current semester examinations in open book mode.
The plea has been filled by eight students of Delhi University. These students along with outstation students of the university expressed that despite the order issued on February 9, several colleges have continued to conduct the classes of the petitioners and other students in online mode, for which, they were also provided links for attending their classes.
The plea, moved via Advocate Ajay Kumar Srivastava, stated that in the current situation, where India sees a rise of Coronavirus cases, especially in Delhi, the University ought to reconsider the notice dated February 11.
Over 65 per cent of the students who are pursuing their education at Delhi University are mostly outstation students and therefore, do not have their own transport services to travel to college. In this widespread situation, it is absolutely not safe for the students to use public conveyance for their examinations, the petition further stated.
Also, the petitioners and other students who completed their semester end examinations through online mode cannot be pressured to attend the exams in physical mode, said the plea.
The plea stated that due to the change in the COVID situation in Delhi, Delhi University has taken a decision to continue its inaugural function of a year-long celebration in virtual mode and at the same time, there is no justification for conducting the examination of even semester in May 2020 in the physical mode.
