Online OBE: HC allows DU to add 1 member to Grievance Redressal Committee
New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Friday allowed the Delhi University to make one addition to the Grievance Redressal Committee set up in connection with the Online Open Book Examination (OBE) being conducted by the varsity for final-year students.
A division bench of the court presided by Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad directed the same while it was considering an appeal filed by the Delhi University challenging an order of the single-judge bench which had set up a Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC) under the chairmanship of Justice (retd) Pratibha Rani.
After the bench’s direction, the DU agreed on the name of Professor S.C. Rai, which the bench allowed with the directions that the GRC should commence its first meeting on Saturday morning and the numbers of the non-university members shall be shared with the other members of the said GRC.
The DU approached the division bench with a prayer to restore the GRC constituted by the varsity initially, saying that the same would hamper the image of the institution.
“The Committee has to give a report. It’s like the Committee is monitoring”, senior advocate Sachin Dutta argued while questioning whether there was any basis behind the conclusion that the committee constituted by the university would not be transparent.
Responding to the submissions of the senior counsel, the bench said, “Why are you so threatened? If you are so squeaky clean, let outsiders scrutinise.”
The bench also asked Delhi University not to let ego come in between the students and the varsity. “There is no ego battle here Mr Dutta. Don’t let the ego come in between the DU and its students,” the bench said.
A single-judge bench of the high court presided by Justice Prathiba M. Singh had on August 7 given its nod to the DU to conduct the online Open Book Examinations (OBE) for final-year students. It had then constituted a GRC under the chairmanship of retired High Court judge Pratibha Rani while the other members of the Committee included Professor K.S. Rao, Professor Kavita Sharma, senior advocate B.B. Gupta and advocate Kamal Gupta.
Meanwhile, a separate bench of the high court was assured by DU Pro Vice Chancellor that the order of the Division Bench shall be complied with in letter and spirit.
Pro Vice Chancellor P.C. Joshi and Prof K.S. Rao who is a member of the Committee made the assurance before a single-judge bench of the high court presided by Justice Pratibha M. Singh.
The submissions were made while the court was hearing an application by the Grievance Redressal Committee alleging that Delhi University is not cooperating with them and by the same action is not complying with its earlier orders.
But after the assurances were made, the court disposed of the application.
–IANS
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