The Court adjourned till August 4 the hearing in the challenge to the online open book examination proposed to be conducted for final year Delhi University students amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Delhi High Court today adjourned till August 4 the hearing in the challenge to the online open-book examination (OBE) proposed to be held for final year Delhi University students amid the COVID-19 pandemic (Anupam & Ors vs University of Delhi).
A single Judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh deferred commencement of arguments in the challenge after it was informed that the Delhi University and University Grants Commission (UGC) were yet to file their response.
While Anupam & Ors vs University of Delhi is the main petition on the issue, other petitions include Mandeep Singh & Ors vs University of Delhi and Akshay Lakra vs University of Delhi.
"You have had the Anupam matter for a month now..", the Court remarked as granted time to Delhi Univeristy to file its counter affidavit by Monday.
In view of the pendency of the challenge to the UGC Guidelines before the Supreme Court, the counsel of the Petitioner, Advocate Akash Sinha clarified that he would only deal with the OBE and no challenge was being any to UGC guidelines.
Senior Advocate Sachin Dutta, counsel for Delhi University, stated that the Petitioners seek a direction for past assessment-based examination and thus UGC has to clarify whether the same is allowed.
He added that the methodology of online OBE may be tweaked, but no other mode of examination was possible.
Advocate M Rupal appeared with Senior Advocate Dutta.
Counsel for UGC, Advocate Apurv Kurup reiterated that internal assessment/ past assessment-based examination was not permitted.
The Court thus directed UGC to file its counter-affidavit on the point of the mode and manner of examination mandated by it.
Advocate HS Hora appeared for Petitioner Maninder Singh.
All petitions would be heard next on August 4 at 3 pm.
The issue of preparedness of Delhi University to conduct the online OBE is pending before a Division Bench headed by Justice Hima Kohli.
