3 DU students move HC against open-book exam

The petition filed on behalf of Abhishek, Sharanjeet Kumar and Deepak — from Kirori Mal College, Aryabhatta College and School of Open Learning respectively — refers to unequal opportunities in the proposed exam mode.

Three DU students from the Chuna Bhatti slum area have filed a petition in the Delhi High Court, challenging the varsity’s decision to conduct online open-book examinations (OBE) for its final-year students.

The petition filed on behalf of Abhishek, Sharanjeet Kumar and Deepak — from Kirori Mal College, Aryabhatta College and School of Open Learning respectively — refers to unequal opportunities in the proposed exam mode. It points to how difference in circumstances, with regard to home environments, access to devices and internet connectivity for different students, could affect how they would appear for the exam.

On availability of tools to write a remote exam, it says “… smartphones, laptops, computers, printers and scanners and their quality will give unfair advantage to economically well-off students who have these facilities, as compared to students who are poorer and don’t have these gadgets…”

The petitioners asked that DU be directed to withdraw the exam notification. DU’s counsel sought time to file a reply. The matter will be on June 18.