HC asks DU if hybrid classes will continue

New Delhi: Even as tens of thousands of Delhi University students signed a petition seeking online classes to be held parallelly as the varsity plans to reopen for physical classes from today, the Delhi High Court took up a petition seeking the same and asked the varsity to reply to whether hybrid classes would be available for the remainder of the semester.

Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a petition by five outstation DU students, sought the stand of the varsity on the aspect of resumption of physical classes but refused to interfere with the university's decision to start holding physical examinations for the ongoing academic session.

The five students have challenged a February 9 order of the university directing the resumption of physical classes from February 17 onwards.

The petitioners have asser-ted that at a time when only about 21 days of classroom teaching is left in the ongoing semester, the notifications under challenge suffer from arbitrariness and non-application of mind as they fail to note that around 65 per cent of students are outstation candidates and a large percentage does not even have access to college hostels.

The matter would be heard next on February 22.