After Delhi University released its decision of conducting online examinations through open-book mode if the situation due to Coronavirus doesn’t get better, four professors from the University wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind about it.
The main agenda of the letter was to highlight that if the exams are conducted through online mode, it’d shake the foundation on which the university stands. The varsity has been known to provide equal opportunities to all sections of society but with the conduct of online exams, there will be a digital divide that will push away the economically weaker section.
In the open-book mode of examinations, the students will be allowed to take the help of their books, notes, and other available study material in order to appear for the exam. Students will first have to download the question paper from the web portal and then answer the questions in the given time frame which is two hours.
According to the letter, the university unilaterally made the decision regarding the online examinations and directed all the heads of the departments of the university (on 13th May 2020) to prepare three sets of question papers. This is a matter of urgency, as such a move will also push the higher education at the university towards privatization. This mode will only benefit those students with the necessary resources. It has been considered a social discriminatory method of examination.
Another fact to be considered is that open-book and closed-book systems are really different and it isn’t a cakewalk to shift from one to the other. Both systems have their own set of requirements.
The ABVP-led Delhi University Students’ Association and DUTA have also stood against the online mode of examination. They are holding General Body Meetings and discussions to review all the possible ways of conducting examinations instead of relying on one method as the goal is to ensure ease to students without leaving a single student behind.
