Court issues notice on plea alleging discrimination in DU's open school

The Delhi High Court has issued notices to the central government, Delhi University on a PIL alleging that practice and procedure followed by School of Open Learning (SOL) is very "arbitrary and discriminatory".

The students who take admission in university's SOL are treated as "second class citizens" and "indifferently", the plea alleged.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice BD Ahmed and Justice Vibhu Bhakru sought response from central government, DU and SOL by Sep 4. Fight for Human Rights, an organisation filing the PIL, said that every year lakhs of students, who are unable to study in undergraduate courses in regular colleges, take admission with SOL but they are treated shabbily.

"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," the PIL said. The plea further said that 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.

It submitted that the school declares result very late which deprived the students of the chance to pursue higher studies. "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," said the plea.

"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 added.

It also said DU and SOL charge heavy amount for revaluation and rechecking of answer sheets and examiners do not examine the answer sheets properly. "Invigilators openly demand money from every examinee for allowing them to indulge in copying in the examination," plea alleged.

It further alleged: "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."