The Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) organised a protest today, June 5, against the administration of Delhi University's School of Open Learning (DU SOL) following overcrowding at the Degree Fair held on June 3. The event, aimed at distributing degrees to graduating students, turned chaotic due to mismanagement, resulting in students getting injured and requiring hospitalisation.
The press release by KYS alleges that this incident is not an isolated one, as the SOL and Delhi University administrations have been plagued by regular incidents of mismanagement and corruption. The release highlights the abrupt cancellation of examinations after students had already arrived at the exam centres, as well as the cancellation of exams for BA Programme students on March 4.
“When the students arrived at the exam centres, they found out that their exams were arbitrarily cancelled. Some students had even started writing their answers when their answer scripts were taken away and they were told that their exams had been cancelled,” states release, which is signed by Bhim Kumar, member of the Delhi State Committee, KYS.
The press release also raises concerns about teaching quality, study materials, library facilities and corruption within SOL. It claims that over 1,25,000 students are compelled to enrol at SOL due to a lack of seats in regular DU colleges and the education provided to them is substandard.
A delegation of students met with the Dean, Students' Welfare, and submitted a memorandum to the DU Vice-Chancellor, demanding the immediate removal of the Director of the Campus of Open Learning and Officiating Principal of the School of Open Learning due to gross mismanagement. They also called for an apology from SOL to the affected students and requested a comprehensive academic and financial audit of the institution.
