New Delhi ( 23 May). On saturday office bearers of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad called on Delhi University’s Dean of Examinations, Professor Vinay Gupta and presented a memorandum incorporating alternative modes of holding the upcoming semester examinations.
In an hour long discussion with the Dean of Examinations, ABVP activists apprised the officials of the pervasive dissatisfaction among the varsity’s student community regarding the lack of discussion over future course with stakeholders. The delegation of student activists made it clear that the final decision in respect of the mode(s) of holding the semester examination should be such that no student should be left behind due to either the paucity of means or the denial of equal opportunity.
Some of the suggestions advanced were involvement of diverse digital platforms including but not limited to e-mail and WhatsApp, a dedicated helpline number to satisfactorily address the expanding exam-related queries of the varsity’s students, leveraging the state-owned digital infrastructure to enable the participation of students living in remote regions of the country and seamless access to the digital academic resources and provision of study materials online on a full and unconditional basis. It was strongly asserted that the option of adopting the offline mode should be kept open for those who do not prefer to take the semester examinations online at all times. The final year students must be given an opportunity to appear for the supplementary examinations along with 6th semester in July. Students be given an expanded set of questions to choose from as well as relaxations with respect to the minimum number of requisite answers. It was also suggested that the intermediate year students should be promoted using the ‘carry forward’ method.
Sidharth Yadav, State Secretary, ABVP Delhi, said, “Although we support novel ways of conducting exams using technology, we cannot brook any compromise on the issue of equality of opportunity, which is an article of faith for us. Whilst more alternatives should be explored, the university administration must undertake extensive awareness campaigns among the students regarding its eventual decision as well as factor in the contingencies and complications that may arise in consequence to such decision. No student should be left behind under any circumstance and we shall make sure that the option of a pen-paper exam be available with students at all times.”
ABVP Delhi State Secretary Sidharth Yadav, DU Unit President Ram Niwas Bishnoi and DU Unit Secretary Rohit Kumar were part of the delegation.