Delhi University students stage protest against OBE

Students of Delhi University (DU), staged a protest against the online open-book exam, or OBE, outside the Arts Faculty on Monday.

The protest is a part of “National Protest Day" being organised by the All India Students’ Association, or AISA, a left-leaning students' group against the online examination.

Students were asked to engage in online and offline mode according to their own convenience.

Students from different groups of students gathered to mark their opposition with signs saying: "say no to online tests." In addition, few teachers joined the protest.

Because of the ongoing lockdown to curb coronavirus spread, DU is conducting online mode exams for final year students starting July 1 , 2020.

Intermediate-semester exams for students were cancelled. Such students will be evaluated according to their past results.

Maurice Nagar Police picked up around 11 students and two teachers returning from the protest for breaching the lockdown rules.

They were released after an affidavit was signed to comply with section 144 imposed on the region.

Since the announcement of the examination, students and faculty at the university have expressed their discontent at conducting the online exams.

"The health of the students is more important than the examinations. Cancel both online and offline reviews, "AISA said in a notice.

Students are calling for an alternative evaluation mode for all students as students from disadvantaged backgrounds will not be able to appear for online examinations.

Requesting the cancellation of “discriminatory” online exams, students from Kirorimal College, Zakir Hussain College, Campus Law Centre, Indraprastha College and Miranda House have written open letters to the Vice-Chancellor.

Read More: DU Open-Book Exam 2020: Allows Open Learning Students to Submit Answer Sheets Through Email​