Expedite evaluation so that OBE results can be declared by the first week of October 2020: Delhi HC tells DU

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi University (DU) to issue letters to the Principals of all colleges requesting that evaluation be expedited so that the results of open book examination can be declared by the first week of October 2020 for final year students. (Prateek Sharma vs DU).The Court has sought a "firm deadline" from DU on the declaration of results for the final year undergraduate students..The order was passed by a Division Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad in a petition concerning the conduction of open book examination for final year DU students. .The Court was examining the aspect of providing assistance to students who have applied to foreign universities for higher studies and the declaration of results..Dr Sanjeev Singh, Head of DU's computer department informed the Court that 50% answer sheets that were submitted through the OBE portal have been evaluated. .However, for submissions done through e-mail, a "tedious" process of verification and integration with portal had to be followed, he said. .Stating that 40 people have been working on sorting thousands of email submissions, the progress stood at 35%, Singh informed the Court. .In response to the Court's query if the entire process could be finished in the first or the second week of October, instead of October 30, Prof DS Rawat, Acting Dean of Examination explained that post evaluation, the result has to moderated and then graded, which would require time. .Considering the balance of evaluation and the urgency, the Court directed DU to write to its Principals and request them to expedite the process so that results could be declared by first week of October 2020. .The Court also examined the status of issuance of comfort letters to foreign universities on behalf of concerned final year students. .Prof Rawat informed the Court that as of September 14, DU had received 900 applications for comfort letters and 292 had been sorted. .Out of the 292, 277 were from undergraduate students and the remaining were from post-graduate students, it was added. .Considering the lesser number of PG students who are going abroad and the fact that their result is percentage-based, the Court directed that their results be declared on or before 28 September 2020 on the web portal. .For UG students who are going to foreign universities for higher education, the Court directed that the letter containing provisional results be sent to the concerned foreign university on a priority basis, depending on the cut-off dates. .The Court also directed that to enable students to apply for visa, DU shall confirm having sent the letter and send a communication saying that the student has been provisionally passed. .In its order, the Court also allowed DU to issue a communication saying the cut-off date for receiving requests for comfort letter is September 18..The matter would be heard next on September 23. .Read the Order: