Most students of IIT Delhi are set to return to classrooms in January. Their peers at Delhi University, however, have been on a dharna for six days to demand the resumption of physical classes.
Ayush Mondal from Bengal’s Bankura district is one of the 30-odd students who are protesting near the arts faculty of DU seeking the reopening of the campus for in-person classes, access to the library and the conduct of examinations in the traditional pen-and-paper mode.
“Classes are still being conducted online. When I was in Bankura, I was attending over phone. The Internet was poor and I had a real struggle. I came back hoping that physical classes would resume, now that malls and markets have opened. Schools too are reopening in Delhi. IIT Delhi is set to reopen. But DU is closed,” Mondal said.
Mondal, an undergraduate student of political science at Ram Lal Anand College affiliated to DU, said the biggest problem with online classes was that there was little scope for discussion and debate with teachers and other students.
“Online teaching can be dull. Also, many students face problems in attending classes because of lack of device and patchy Internet,” he said.
Mondal pointed out that the semester exams are to begin later this month in the online mode. He said online exams compromised the sanctity of the process.
The DU authorities are yet to take a decision on resuming in-person classes because of the Delhi Disaster Management Authority guidelines that allow not more than 50 per cent occupancy in classrooms.
“The problem is how to ensure 50 per cent occupancy. We cannot hold classes twice. It is difficult to allow some students to come to class while the others participate online,” said Vikas Gupta, the DU registrar.
IIT Delhi on Friday announced that classes for most courses would be held face-to-face from January. For classes of large size, the tech school will make the students sit in two rooms. While the teacher will take the class in one room, the other room will have a projector and a screen where he or she will be beamed live.
“The requirement of 50 per cent occupancy means we will not allow more than that in a classroom. We have many big classrooms. Students of certain courses can be accommodated in a single room by adhering to the 50 per cent requirement. Some classes will be held in two rooms while some others will continue to be held online,” said Prof. Shantanu Roy, dean of academics at IIT Delhi.
DU colleges, however, have comparatively smaller classroom, and screens and projectors are not available.
Neha, an Ambedkar University alumna, said libraries were essential.
“Students need to use the library for reading. The college libraries are only issuing books, not allowing students to sit there and read,” she said.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has decided to reopen in phases. The PhD and Master’s students are back on campus while undergraduate students are yet to be allowed. Jamia Millia Islamia University is yet to reopen.
