Delhi University scraps online entrance tests for PG programmes

DU admissions: The university now says conducting both online and offline tests would not be feasible and withdrew its earlier directive.

After weeks of protests by students, Delhi University went back on its decision to hold online entrance exams for its postgraduate seats.

The six centres for the offline tests are in Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Guwahati and Nagpur. In South India, the centre would either be in Bangalore or Chennai. (Saumya Khandelwal/HT PHOTO)

The university had earlier this month said it would hold online entrance tests for its M Phil, PhD and PG programmes and nine undergraduate programmes, after the standing committee cleared both online and offline tests for these programmes.

The university now says conducting both online and offline tests would not be feasible and withdrew its earlier directive.

The decision comes in the wake of protests by members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), which culminated with a hunger strike by its members, including Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) president Amit Tanwar, vice president Priyanka Chhawri and secretary Ankit Sangwan in the past few days.

ABVP members had maintained that an online test format would be unfair for those from rural backgrounds.

“We decided to conduct only offline entrance test for postgraduate courses at six centres. These six are the same centres as last year. There will be no online entrance test for PG courses,” said a member of the admission committee.

Members of the committee said conducting offline and online tests were ‘unfeasible’ due to logistical reasons.

The six centres for the offline tests are in Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi, Guwahati and Nagpur. In South India, the centre would either be in Bangalore or Chennai.

However, a member of the committee maintained that entrance tests for nine undergraduate programmes will continue to be online, and there would be no offline test centres.

Students can register for the entrance-based undergraduate programmes, and post graduate, M Phil, and PhD programmes starting May 31.