Students protest demanding reopening of DU campus, resumption of offline classes

Members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Thursday held a protest march calling for the reopening of the Delhi University and resumption of offline classes.

The protesting students also demanded for the right to choose between online and offline modes for their term-end examinations, reopening of all libraries for a period of at least 12 hours everyday, and reopening of all undergraduate and postgraduate hostels along with the prompt release of centralised PG hostel admission forms.

A delegation of ABVP office-bearers called on the proctor and the dean, students welfare and presented a memorandum of grievances.

The university officials assured that the existing hostel residents could continue to stay in the hostels as guests while appropriate arrangements for the permanent stay of first year students will be made after the conclusion of their term-end examinations in March, the ABVP said in a statement.

"Furthermore, the library timings would be extended, e-library facility would come into being from the first week of March and the second phase of the campus reopening process, already underway in the present month, would also be completed by March," it said.

The delegation also demanded for declaration of pending end-semester examination results, a one-time additional opportunity for ex-students to appear in qualifying examinations to secure their respective educational degrees and a reduced police presence within the campus.

"...failing which the ABVP will conduct a gherao of the local police station to register its dissatisfaction with the peremptory and abusive behaviour of the police officials. The proctor assured that the university administration will consult the concerned police officials and the grievances would be promptly redressed," the statement said.