DU and JNU students protest against online examinations

NEW DELHI: Students from Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) protested against the online examinations. Both the universities are Central government-run universities, where the Delhi government's decision cannot be applied. Students of DU gathered outside the University Grants Commission's (UGC) office and burnt the UGC guidelines, notices of Home Ministry and notification by the university as a symbol of protest against the online examinations. "This is torture and nothing else. When the State government can cancel exams, why can't the Central government? And we can't expect anything from UGC as well," said a third-year student, part of the protest.

Students from various colleges also held placards and shared pictures on social media demanding that the authorities cancel the examinations. “Parliamentarians want universities to open for exams. Students will neither forget nor forgive BJP for what they are doing to us. Students have burnt the arbitrary and anti-student circulars today as a mark of protest,” said Payal, a final year student. On the other hand, JNU also continued their protest against online examinations. In a statement today, JNU Students Union (JNUSU) said, “It is clear that the Central government has failed to control the COVID-19 crisis. However, it is now using the pandemic as an opportunity to push anti-people, anti-student, and anti-academic agenda in higher education." Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Saturday cancelled examinations for state-run colleges.