DU to postpone final-year exams

The decision comes amid demands for postponement of exams by both students and teachers in the light of the current Covid-19 situation.

The Delhi University (DU) has decided to postpone the examination of final year students by at least two weeks in the wake of the fourth wave of Covid-19 that has swept across the Capital. The exams were scheduled to begin from May 15.

DU’s dean of examination D S Rawat said the decision was taken on Saturday in a meeting attended by all deans (Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

The decision comes amid demands for postponement of exams by both students and teachers in the light of the current Covid-19 situation.

DU’s dean of examination D S Rawat said the decision was taken on Saturday in a meeting attended by all deans, officials and chaired by the acting vice chancellor (V-C) P C Joshi. “Taking the current situation into consideration, it was decided to postpone exams by at least two weeks. There are so many Covid-19 positive cases in the university itself. Sixteen officials in the examination branch have tested positive in the last few days and two of them succumbed to the virus on Sunday morning. The examination branch will remain closed for the next three days,” he said.

“We will wait for two weeks for the situation to stabilize. Exams are likely to begin from June 1,” he added.

The examination was to be conducted only for final year students. It will be conducted in an online open book format. The university has already announced that it will conduct exams for students of other semesters later.

Earlier on Friday, the DU Teachers Association had written to the acting V-C requesting him to postpone the exams. “The fact that students are battling illness of self and family members is evident from the fact that the attendance in classes has significantly dropped. It is cruel for us to continue to behave as if we ought to be unaffected by whatever is happening around us...Many Heads of Departments have already written to the Dean, Examinations requesting that the exams for final year/ semester students be postponed in view of the number of Covid positive cases among students and teachers...Hence, we request you to consider cancelling examinations for all students and decide upon alternative means to evaluate students,” read the letter released by the association.

Meanwhile, students welcome the decision. Rashi Rajput, a final year BCom student, said, “Many of my family members are currently down with Covid-19. I have also recovered recently. We can’t give exam under such stressful situation. I’m appreciate that the university has acknowledged our concerns.”