In some DU colleges, temporary switch to online classes

Because of the delay in admissions for the last two years owing to the pandemic, the academic calendar in Delhi University has been upset. As a result, while second and third year students are currently writing their fourth and sixth semester examinations respectively, first year students are only a month into their second semester. With colleges in the midst of conducting their first fully offline examinations since the start of the pandemic, they are conducting examinations and classes in their premises at the same time, a circumstance that has not arisen before as the academic calendar for all three years is normally in sync.

While the University has not taken any decision on the same, some colleges have taken the decision at their own end to move classes for the second semester students online till the examinations are completed. Offline classes had begun for all years this February.

Stating that the college would be conducting offline examination for its own students as well as a large number of School of Open Learning students, Dyal Singh College had notified that “considering the Covid-19 precautions and to maintain the necessary environment and sanctity for smooth conduct of examinations, it was decided unanimously in an urgent meeting of all the Teacher-In-Charges, held on 6th May, 2022 through Google meet, that the classes (Theory and Tutorials/Practicals) of semester II (first year) students should be conducted through online mode/means during the entire period of examinations from 9th May – 7th June, 2022.”

Similar notifications have also been issued by Rajdhani College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College and Aryabhatta College while Shivaji College has notified that classes will be conducted in the ‘hybrid mode’.

“There were challenges we were facing. We don’t think it’s ideal to have students roaming around, creating noises and disturbances while others are writing an examination. It’s also better to have a closed campus for discipline during exams… We’re also being faced with very little space because the university is conducting examinations for School of Open learning students on campus as well. This is only a one-time measure and the circumstances because of which it had to be done should end with the coming cycle of admissions,” said Manoj Sinha, principal Aryabhatta College.

He said that the extreme heat in Delhi and a recent spike in COVID cases had acted as factors which further made them gravitate towards this decision.