Petition against DU`s School of Open Learning

New Delhi: A petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court highlighting the problems faced by students admitted to Delhi University`s School of Open Learning (SOL).

The petition filed by an organisation `Fight for Human Rights` against the Centre, DU and the SOL said the practice and procedure followed by SOL in conducting annual examinations, rechecking and revaluation of answer sheets and treatment of students is "very arbitrary and discriminatory". A bench of Acting Chief Justice BD Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bhakru has issued notices to SOL, the varsity and the Centre. The petition says every year lakhs of students, who are unable to study in undergraduate courses in regular colleges, take admission with SOL but they are treated "indifferently". "The authorities concerned conduct the annual examination for the students of School of Open Learning (SOL) in May/June every year and declare results very late in November/December." As a result, the candidates, who fail to clear any paper in their final year, are deprived of the chance to pursue higher studies because the result of supplementary examination conducted for failed students is announced very late when admission of all courses are closed by all universities," it said. It also said the varsity and SOL charge heavy amount for revaluation and rechecking of answer sheets and also submitted that examiners do not examine the answer sheets properly and invigilators openly demand money from every examinee for allowing them to indulge in copying in the examination. "It has been a general practice in Delhi University that regular candidates are awarded good marks but whereas students of School of Open Learning are not awarded proper marks though their answers are satisfactory," it said, adding it is the general experience of the students of SOL that the treatment meted out to them by the staff and the institution in general is most "objectionable, rude, indifferent and discriminatory". "The students are treated as second class citizens, which discourage the students to take admission for studies with SOL and this results in defeat of the very purpose of imparting education to maximum number of citizens," it added. PTI