DU SOL students write exam in under-construction basement parking; KYS warns of massive protest

In a shocking incident, the students of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning (SOL) were made to write their exams in the basement parking area of an examination centre, where heaps of construction waste, metal pipes, toxic paints were seen scattered across the floor. Condemning the negligence on part of the administration, students demanded filing FIR against DU and SOL for putting the lives of SOL students in danger.

A massive protest was organised by the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) activists along with students of DU’s SOL “against the criminally apathetic administrations… for practicing gross and open discrimination against the students”.

In the videos shared by the students, they can be seen sitting behind green shades in a basement parking lot, where the construction work seems to be ongoing. Construction waste, including dangerous materials such as metal pipes, toxic paint, stone slabs, construction ladders, etc., can be seen littered across the basement where students are being made to write their exams.

“Endangering students by making them sit at a construction site amounts to showing criminal disregard for their lives. This is barefaced discrimination and educational apartheid in its worst form, as DU provides classrooms for the students of regular colleges to write their exams. Clearly, the careers and even lives of SOL students are dispensable for DU and SOL administrations,” the students group said in an official statement.

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Gross mismanagement in exam arrangements

KYS highlighted the repeated discrimination faced by the DU SOL students, “who mostly come from socio-economically deprived sections, are first-generation learners to reach higher education, and belong to Dalit, Tribal, Minority, and OBC backgrounds”. Moreover, these students pay a hefty fee, as SOL is the only public higher education institution that is run entirely from the fees it charges from students,, it said.

This is not the first time the exam arrangements have been compromised. In early 2024, students studying in BCom 1st year at DU SOL were forced to write exams in makeshift tents at Motilal Nehru College and Aurobindo College during winters.

“The exam centres at these DU colleges bore the look of a wedding venue, with students' chairs placed facing each other. However, with the present incident, SOL and DU’s criminal apathy has touched a new low. This incident is not just unprecedented, but exposes the sheer lack of any concern whatsoever for the students coming from deprived sections. It is also completely against the interests of lacs of students who are studying at SOL,” the students said.

DU official's response

In response, a senior DU official told PTI while some renovations were going on at the Satyakam Bhawan, all renovation materials and waste were kept aside. "It is not an under-construction building." "Students not only of SOL are giving exams at the Satyakam Bhawan, but students from different colleges and centres give their exams at the centre. Centres are decided by the DU's department of examinations,” the official said.

DU SOL students warn of massive movement

Students claimed that they missed the internal assessment as they were not informed about the exam on time. Subsequently, many students have been declared ‘Absent’ or have received ‘Essential Repeat (ER)’ in their previous semester exams. They said that the results of the previous semester are yet to be announced, while the next semester exams are also scheduled to commence soon.

The student organisation demanded filing an FIR against the DU and SOL officials responsible for putting the lives of SOL students in danger under the relevant sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita. It also warned of a massive movement if the demands are not met.