On the occasion of Delhi University's (DU) 99th Convocation, a student body wrote an open letter to President Droupadi Murmu, who was on a visit to the campus, regarding the apathy of students who have enrolled in the university's School of Open Learning (SOL). The students have requested Murmu to take cognizance of the matter and resolve the issues.
It has been months since the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) has been highlighting the problems faced by SOL students. The latest protest was held on February 19, in which students had taken a mass rally to the residence of the DU VC and gheraoed it. They alleged that though the internal assessment exams started on February 20 for SOL, students were provided with the study materials only on February 21.
They further allege that proper study materials were still not given. In the past as well, the organisation has been complaining that SOL students were being given poor quality study materials of a "dubious" nature, and that too never on time. They additionally state that neither classes nor assessments are conducted for these students as per schedule.
"While the semester stretches for 4-5 months for students in regular colleges of DU, the students of SOL for the past many years are being provided with only a month or two for study before their exams commence. Even this year, the classes were wrapped up within a month and a half," reads a press release by KYS.
"There is no transparency in the functioning of SOL, and neither is there any accountability. The staff at SOL is accustomed to behaving in an uncouth way with the students. Even the current Officiating Principal of SOL has on occasion got the students beaten up in his office regarding which the students have filed police complaints against him," the document alleges further.
