NEW DELHI: With less than a week left for Delhi University (DU) to reopen after two years, a section of students on Friday said the decision to resume offline academic activities from February 17 was made in haste. They said students should have been given more time to make travel arrangements to reach the national capital.
Outstation students who are in the final year has demanded that DU should continue with hybrid mode with an option to attend on-line or offline classes. Also, final-year students have sent a memorandum to the authorities, terming the reopening decision abrupt. It lists five reasons why the university should continue online classes for at least the final year.
They have mentioned financial reasons, stating that all colleges do not have in-campus accommodation facilities and a vast majority of outstation students have to rely on PGs and flats which are expensive, especially in south Delhi. It is economically unviable and not pragmatic enough for 80% of students, they said.
They also said that the last few months of the graduation year play a crucial role in defining the career of a student. Many of them are already placed with different companies in different cities, preparing for competitive exams and university entrances. Sudden opening of DU for two months will create a bustle in their lives.
Abhishek, a final-year student, said, “The demand to open universities 1.5 months after the mid-semester break starting from March 7 may not be pragmatic. It will be difficult for students from other states to relocate to Delhi for this short span of time. Moreover, financial status of all students is not stable enough to spend over `50,000 for two months due to the abrupt reopening of campuses.”
Meanwhile, Abha Dev Habib, secretary, Democratic Teachers’ Front and professor at Miranda House, disagreed with the final-year students’ demands. “These students were exempted from open book examinations twice owing to the two Covid waves. Instead of having six centralised exams, they have taken only three. If they want to continue in this manner for the fourth as well, I don’t think that should
happen. That will make it a much diluted degree. It will be better that they come to classes.”
She said, “There are science students who have never visited labs. The market will devalue their degree and the students should understand this. They should rather find value in staying here instead of not coming. They should find internships, good teachers to guide them.”
On the other hand, DU professor Rakesh Pandey has sent an online petition to vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh, urging him to ensure that the switch from online to offline is done after Holi. In a statement, he said students and parents have started making panic calls to teachers, expressing difficulties in meeting the requirements for offline classes at such a short time. The professor said, “The DU should realise that most students are not privileged enough to book PG accommodations, the cost of which has gone up by over `20,000 for one bed. The V-C had assured phased reopening. It is unfair. Let us protest.”
An officio member of All India Students Association (AISA), Delhi University unit, Neha, said, “The university is not technically prepared enough to hold exams for all students on the campus itself. They don’t know how it will backfire. First-year students, who have exams in February or March, however have been given relaxation to take exams online.”