Delhi University Open Book Examination 2020 guidelines released; mock tests to be conducted

The Delhi University has released guidelines for the colleges to follow to conduct Open Book Examination in July. The varsity has also directed them to conduct mock test for students in order to make them aware and accustomed to this new format.

The Delhi University has released a set of guidelines to be followed by various colleges while conducting the online Open Book Examinations (OBE) for final year students from July 1. One of the measures issued by the varsity is conducting a mock test for students, to get accustomed to the new format of the examination, before they appear for the actual test.

"Mock tests shall be made available to the students by the colleges on their portal one week prior from the date of commencement of the examinations to help students become aware of the mode of examinations. This will help students to aware of using various tools required for downloading question papers and uploading scanned answer sheets after the completion of examinations," the official notification released bu the university stated.

The University of Delhi has also clarified that in case a student is not able to appear for the OBE, they can appear for the pen and paper exams when the situation normalizes.

The notification stated that  OBE does not entirely require the online platform and requires only limited access to the internet and hardware for uploading the question papers prior to the commencement of examination and for uploading the answer sheets after completion of the examination.

"For students residing in Jammu and Kashmir and other such areas which lack the internet and hardware facility required for the OBE, the university has finalized to engage Common Service Centres (CSC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology," it said.

The students should be allowed to utilize the information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure resources available with the CSC academy for downloading and taking printout of question papers, scanning, and uploading answer sheets on the portal, the varsity said.

The students can avail of all these facilities free of cost at CSCs. There are more than two lakh functional CSCs located at almost all gram panchayats at the village level throughout India and all of them shall be available for students, it said.

Read the Delhi University official notification here

However, the student groups and teachers' bodies have strongly opposed the university decided to conduct the examination online and listed the problems of internet connectivity, the possibility of adoption of dishonest practices by students.

Notwithstanding that, the university on Saturday issued directives to colleges on the measures to be adopted for the exams.

"In view of the prevailing situation of COVID-19 pandemic, it is felt that the examinations cannot be conducted in the conventional mode as per the existing government norms of maintaining social distancing and ensuring safety and health of students," the university said.