After Delhi High Court and Vice-Chancellor turned their backs, teachers’ body DUTA has now written a letter to the principals of colleges affiliated to Delhi University appealing not to conduct OBE. 
‘Mock Open Book Exams is a mockery of the real situations in which our students and their families find themselves today’ said DUTA.
The letter states, “We appeal to you to support the students and teachers in their demand for a more rational, academic and credible grading system for terminal-semester students. The task of academic leadership lies in assessing and responding to real conditions and not in pretending that ‘all is well’.”
“Mock OBE will not address any of the problems highlighted by students and teachers. It cannot provide the real conditions which students will face during their examinations. Further, it will put the system into additional stress without any real benefit. Firstly, the use of the college portal will not reflect the real condition when the university portal will be used on the day of the exam. Also, the stability of internet services is not the same at all times,” the letter added.
In such a difficult times, the students would endure stress and cost of appearing of an OBE exam more than once.
Further, the letter highlighted that students be promoted on the basis of their past performances and such degrees has been accepted across universities in India and abroad. This solution seem to be “perhaps the best possible decision, given the conditions.”
The decision will affect close to 4 lakh students enrolled in UG and PG courses.
In a survey conducted by DUTA pointed that over 85% of those who participated voted against OBE because of various reasons which includes lack of access to study resources, internet stability, lack of gadgets etc.
“When malpractice cannot be checked, the system is nothing but a farce. Already students have started receiving messages from coaching centres that are selling reading material. It is ironic that students are to be penalised for their honesty,” pointed DUTA.
