After protesting students stay away, varsity defers mid-term tests

Call it a step forward or an impact, the students of Delhi Technical University, who have been protesting for the past fortnight, have a reason to smile. The varsity has resolved to postpone its mid-semester examinations after a mass boycott by students.


DTU students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhiu00a0File pic

The examinations, which began on Monday, had a thin attendance of only 71 students out of 3,000, which came down to 50 on Tuesday. This forced the authorities to defer the tests till March 29.

The decision was taken after a meeting of the agitating students with vice-chancellor Prof P B Sharma and Delhi government officials. Apart from the decision on rescheduling the examinations, the student representatives wished that normal activities should resume, sources said.

The students are protesting for the past 14 days against state university status being accorded to DTU, which was earlier a constituent college of Delhi University. Their demands also include dismissal of the vice-chancellor.
Meanwhile, chief minister Sheila Dikshit convened a meeting and asked the DTU authorities to find an amicable solution to the crisis within two days. The meeting was attended by Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta and other top officials of the education department.

Nearly 100 students protested outside the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday to press for their demands, while Leader of Opposition V K Malhotra raised the issue in the Assembly and accused the government of 'jeopardising the future of hundreds of students.'