Why can’t DU students go to college, asks HC

Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a petition by five outstation DU students through advocate Pranjal Kishore, sought the stand of the varsity on the aspect of resumption of in-person classes and asked the university counsel to seek instructions on whether hybrid classes would take place for the remaining semester.

The Delhi high court on Wednesday declined to interfere with the Delhi University’s decision to conduct in-person examinations for the ongoing academic session later this year and observed that when everything else has opened, why can’t students go to college. 

Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a petition by five outstation DU students through advocate Pranjal Kishore, sought the stand of the varsity on the aspect of resumption of in-person classes and asked the university counsel to seek instructions on whether hybrid classes would take place for the remaining semester.

The five students have challenged a February 9 order of the university, announcing the resumption of in-person classes from Wednesday. The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Sanjay Hegde, also challenged a February 11 order stating that all university exams will be conducted in the in-person mode in May. 

The petitioners said the notifications suffer from arbitrariness and non-application of mind as they fail to note that around 65% of students are from outstation and a majority do not have access to hostel facilities. The petitioners also said that Covid appropriate norms cannot be observed in accommodations where multiple students reside in one room.