Kejriwal writes to PM seeking cancellation of DU exams

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his intervention in cancelling final year exams of Delhi University and other Central universities in view of the coronavirus pandemic. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Kejriwal said "unprecedented decisions" need to be taken during the prevalence of a pandemic such as COVID-19.

"For the sake of our youth, I urge Hon'ble PM to personally intervene and cancel final year exams of DU and other central government universities and save the future," Kejriwal tweeted while sharing his letter to Modi. The chief minister said there is much anger among lakhs of students, teachers and parents due to the University Grants Commission (UGC) direction to the universities and colleges for conducting written offline or online exams for the final semester.   "All believe this decision is wrong and should be immediately withdrawn," Kejriwal said in the letter.

Prominent universities like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Law Universities (NLUs) have already awarded degrees to the final semester students on the basis on internal assessment. Then why can't other universities do so, he questioned. "Worldover, the prominent universities in big countries have awarded degrees on the basis of internal assessment in this time of coronavirus," he said.

Some states including Delhi have issued directions to their universities to cancel all the examinations and award degrees through alternative means of assessment.  The Centre has to take a decision in this regard in case of Central Universities including Delhi University (DU), Kejriwal's letter stated. "But, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and UGC are not ready to change their decision. It seems only your intervention can solve this problem," Kejriwal wrote to Modi.

He requested the Prime Minister that the Central government and the UGC should amend their directions and cancel last semester exams in wider interest of the students.