Students of school of open learning protest against Delhi University
20 Jan 2014 11:31 PM GMT
Over 1,000 students of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning staged a day-long dharna at the varsity’s Arts Faculty on Sunday protesting against DU policies.
The students complained that the policies adopted by Delhi University would devalue their degrees and are against the students studying through the distance learning mode.
‘We are very agitated with the fact that the Delhi University administration has for long been neglecting and sidelining our just demands. The recent university measure of granting laptops and four year degree course only to students of regular colleges is the tip of the ice-berg. This measure of the Delhi University administration would further devalue our degree,’ said Anil, a SOL student.
Sujit Kumar, president of Kranti Yuva Sangathan, said, ‘The students of SOL have been campaigning against the policies adopted by Delhi University administration. The truth is that most of the students studying through the distance learning mode are the ones who in fact dearly wish to study in the regular colleges but are forced to enroll through the correspondence mode because they are denied admission in regular colleges. It is a matter of great shame and shock that today against every single student enrolled in a regular course, four are studying through the distance learning mode.’
‘In the School of Open learning nothing seems to work. Our course material is old and outdated and ill suited to the demands of the job market. We often get our reading material late, the library facility is inadequate given our huge numbers. Our results often come out late, so those among us seeking admission elsewhere after graduation often miss the admission deadlines. Moreover, very few courses are offered to us and some important courses like Honors in History, Hindi Literature, Sociology among others are not available. We have nothing by way of cultural activities or sports,’ Kumar added.
Threatening more protests, Sanjay another agitator, said, ‘Our protest rally is only the beginning, meant to serve as a warning not only to the university administration but also the state.
Later in the day, authorities, including director of SOL and deputy director of SOL, met correspondence students and promised immediate redressal of the students’ demands.
The agitating students, meanwhile, resolved to hold a protest at the Human Resource Development ministry on Monday.
The students complained that the policies adopted by Delhi University would devalue their degrees and are against the students studying through the distance learning mode.
‘We are very agitated with the fact that the Delhi University administration has for long been neglecting and sidelining our just demands. The recent university measure of granting laptops and four year degree course only to students of regular colleges is the tip of the ice-berg. This measure of the Delhi University administration would further devalue our degree,’ said Anil, a SOL student.
Sujit Kumar, president of Kranti Yuva Sangathan, said, ‘The students of SOL have been campaigning against the policies adopted by Delhi University administration. The truth is that most of the students studying through the distance learning mode are the ones who in fact dearly wish to study in the regular colleges but are forced to enroll through the correspondence mode because they are denied admission in regular colleges. It is a matter of great shame and shock that today against every single student enrolled in a regular course, four are studying through the distance learning mode.’
‘In the School of Open learning nothing seems to work. Our course material is old and outdated and ill suited to the demands of the job market. We often get our reading material late, the library facility is inadequate given our huge numbers. Our results often come out late, so those among us seeking admission elsewhere after graduation often miss the admission deadlines. Moreover, very few courses are offered to us and some important courses like Honors in History, Hindi Literature, Sociology among others are not available. We have nothing by way of cultural activities or sports,’ Kumar added.
Threatening more protests, Sanjay another agitator, said, ‘Our protest rally is only the beginning, meant to serve as a warning not only to the university administration but also the state.
Later in the day, authorities, including director of SOL and deputy director of SOL, met correspondence students and promised immediate redressal of the students’ demands.
The agitating students, meanwhile, resolved to hold a protest at the Human Resource Development ministry on Monday.
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