NEW DELHI: A day after Delhi University reopened for physical classes after a gap of two years, a section of students staged a protest on Friday demanding hybrid mode — a mix of online and offline sessions — of classes.
The students gathered outside the gate of the School of Open Learning (SOL) for a peaceful protest. One of the students, Vidya Rai, said, “Some outstation hostellers are stuck in their homes, despite wanting to attend the offline classes. On top of this, offline internal examinations are also being held. Even when the hostel administration is being cooperative, the varsity is not considering hybrid mode. The Delhi University should issue a notice to allow students to attend online classes if they want.”
Another student, Vriti Johar said, “Opening the University in the middle of the semester is not a sensible decision at all. Earlier we used to get options to choose the mode of classes but now in such a short time period, how do you expect the students to shift to the offline mode.”
Meanwhile, some students of SOL complained that since they did not get the study material from the college, the exams should be held in online mode for this semester. Ameena, a student from Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) said, “We have requested the SOL director to conduct the exams for the 4th and 6th semester students in online mode as it is difficult to settle down all of a sudden and prepare without any proper material.”
In a letter to the authorities of the DU, giving reasons as to why the hybrid mode should continue, the students wrote, “More than 35,000 students of DU do not want to attend offline classes. We are asked to move to Delhi in such a little time span. Some of us don’t have a place to stay or the money to pay rents as the value went up so high that when we close our eyes to think of our parents’ empty wallets and teary
eyes, we shatter.”
“We are scared because no one listens to us. We cannot protest on the roads, neither can we threaten to set ourselves ablaze. We can only voice our words and hope to be heard,” the letter further read.
Students allege assault
During the protest, some students were allegedly abused and attacked by the SOL officials when they went to submit a memorandum to the principal Uma Shankar Pandey. One of the students also suffered a fracture after which he was taken to the Hindu Rao hospital. KYS demanded immediate sacking of the principal.
Nandita Narain, president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), said, “The DTF strongly condemns this orchestrated attack on students by the authorities. We also support the demands of the students.” Abha Dev Habib, Secretary of DTF and former member executive council, DU, said, “The fact that students were attacked in the Principal’s Office with the direct involvement of SOL officials is extremely unfortunate.
Habib further added, “DTF condemns this criminal attack on students in no uncertain terms. When there is zero-tolerance for physical assault on students, why are the students being treated in this manner as they come from marginalised backgrounds? University should set up an inquiry into the incidence and take
necessary action.”