DU OBE: Petition filed against Delhi University for not cooperating with Grievance redressal Committee
The Delhi High Court will hear today a plea against Delhi University for "not cooperating" with the Grievance Redressal Committee, set up in connection with the ongoing online Open Book Examination (OBE) for final year courses. According to the members of the committee -- BB Gupta and Kamal Gupta -- neither the university nor its officials have cooperated with the Chairperson and other members of the panel.
The hearing is expected to begin around 2.30 pm today.
On August 7, the high court had set up a High-Level Grievance Redressal Committee headed by a retired High Court Justice and advocates to undertake the resolution of grievances if DU isn't able to resolve them within 48 hours.
The petitioners said that the Delhi University failed to give contact details of the other members of the committee who are also faculty members at the varsity.
"Passwords for the grievance emails have also not been shared. No meeting has been arranged and all the activities are being conducted without consulting the Chairperson or any independent members of the Committee. There has therefore been complete non-cooperation by the DU officials and the Committee is being by-passed, the court order stated.
Advocate Akash Sinha told Indiatvnews.com: "The fact that esteemed members of Grievance Redressal Committee established under the aegis of Hon'ble Delhi High Court, had to appear before the Court with a complaint that the University is not cooperating with them is really sad. It also shows the attitude of the university authorities. If they're unwilling to cooperate with a committee which is headed by retired High Court Justice, then the plight of students can be very well understood."
"We are extremely grateful to the Hon'ble Court that it is actively protecting interests of the students. Directing the pro VC of DU to the Court is an extreme step that the court was perhaps constrained to do in the circumstances. We support the members of GRC who have taken the responsibilities given by the Hon'ble Court with utmost sincerity. I sincerely hope that the University shall start complying with directions passed by the Hon'ble Court for the sake of Student welfare," he added.
Meanwhile, one of the grievance email address is not working. As the contact details of the committee were mentioned in the order dated August 2020, a large number of students have sent their grievances directly to them.
"The OBE examinations commenced on 10th August. Students are expressing several grievances that need to be addressed. The working of the Grievance Redressal Committee which is to look into the grievances of students giving the Online Open Book examinations (OBE) currently underway, cannot be permitted to be hampered in this manner. Clearly, there is complete non-compliance of the order passed by this Court on 7th August, 2020," Justice Pratibha Singh said in the order.
Justice Pratibha also ordered Professor P. C. Joshi, Pro-Vice Chancellor, DU to join the video-conferencing hearing today at 2:30 pm.
