DU: Students claim mix-up in question papers during exam for School of Open Learning

NEW DELHI: A section of students who had appeared in an exam of the Delhi University's School of Open Learning (SoL) alleged on Monday that there was a mix-up in the distribution of question papers and some of them were given the questionnaire for regular students.

However, the Delhi University examination branch said that no such complaint has been received by it so far. In some exam centres like Aurobindo College and Laxmibai College, the students were given the question paper meant for SOL students. However, in many others such as at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, and Ram Lal Anand College, some students were given the question paper meant for regular students, student group Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) alleged.

"Today’s incident once again exposes the sheer mismanagement and chaos which has become the hallmark of SOL and DU administrations that are least concerned about the future of lacs of students who study in SOL," the group alleged in a statement.

The maximum marks for the two question papers were also different. While the one for SOL carried 30 marks, the other paper carried 40 marks, Sangeeta, a first-year BA student, said. Those who did not get the SOL questionnaire urged the university to compensate them or allow a re-exam.

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"We don't know what to do. Because of mismanagement and SOL administration’s continued apathy, the students are suffering," Apurva, another first-year BA student, said. Early this month, the SOL abruptly announced the cancellation of an exam for the first-year BA and B.Com programmes while students were writing the paper.

There is a long list of mismanagement by the SOL administration which has repeatedly put the future of students in jeopardy, alleged KYS. However, University authorities denied the allegations.

"Two papers were conducted. One for regular students and the other for SOL students. Both these papers (regular and SOL) were sent in separate envelopes to each centre. And it was well communicated in the morning through WhatsApp messages," Dean Examination DS Rawat told PTI.

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"We haven't received any such complaints from any centre except WhatsApp message from a student political group," he added, on the claims of the question paper mix-up. The KYS has demanded strict action against the SOL authorities by the DU administration.

"Moreover, a separate examination branch for the SOL must be established to ensure that the students do not face hassles during the examination process. KYS would be intensifying its struggle against the apathetic DU and SOL administration in the coming days," it said.