Dear Signers. 

The DU administration continues with its ham-handed approach towards our academic careers. 

We’ve studied online for the last two years. In February, the DU administration arbitrarily decided to resume offline classes in the middle of the semester and gave outstation students just 3-4 days to return to Delhi and find accommodation. And now, as we try and deal with this upheaval, the administration wants those in EVEN semesters to give offline exams in May-June. 

Sign a new petition asking DU to have Open-Book Examinations for EVEN semester students in May-June. https://cutt.ly/CFQiydv.  

We’ve been deprived of classroom-learning for the most part of our graduation/post-graduation. Some of us are yet to return to Delhi because our colleges have been thoughtful enough and have adopted a hybrid mode of learning. But many have had to return to Delhi, are yet to find accommodation within their budget, and are struggling to cope with their studies. Two years of online studies, the final semester spent moving to Delhi and finding accommodation, and now, offline exams.

How are we going to be able to make up for the loss of learning in the last two years? Are we naive enough to assume that no one faced any problems while studying online? That everyone’s internet connection was perfect all the time and no one suffered any gaps in learning and comprehension? 

If ODD semester students were allowed to continue with open-book examinations, then the same should be provided for EVEN semester students too! We are not ready for offline exams! The administration must understand that while it’s important for colleges to return to normalcy, everything must be resumed in a phased manner. Students must get this one semester’s time to find their bearings and regain their academic confidence. The administration could resume offline classes and exams on a full scale next semester onwards. 

I urge you all to share the petition – Change.org/DUWantsOBE – on WhatsApp by clicking on this link. https://cutt.ly/zFQaoEI. Also share it on Twitter tagging the right decision makers by clicking here. 

If the over 50,000 people who supported my petition lend their support to the demand for Open Book Examinations, then I think the administration will realise that its decision making approach is alienating a large chunk of its student body. 

Let’s win this fight together.