DU students fear loss of job offers as exams get postponed again

Students are facing a number of challenges due to the much-delayed OBE

The Delhi University Open Book Examination (OBE) was proposed as a solution to a unique challenge that the varsity faced - how to conduct exams for lakhs of students during a pandemic? A simple and seemingly effective solution was offered - online exams. Students were allowed to give open-book exams and answer analytical questions from the safety of their homes.

The solution, however, did not sit well with students and faculty, who said that the OBE did not create a level playing field. While students had access to the same resources during exams at their respective colleges, the OBE means that the exams would have to be taken on personal devices with internet connections of varying bandwidths, in areas where the internet can be very unreliable (high-speed internet remains banned in Kashmir).

The process expects students to write answers on A4 sheets, convert them to PDFs and upload them to the web portal. The mock exam, which was conducted recently to test the process, was a massive failure. Students across the country complained of technical glitches that affected the process.

The exams, which have now been postponed till Aug. 15, have been a major source of stress for students whose future is clouded in uncertainty. Several students have already managed to secure jobs or admissions into master’s programmes. These students, however, may not be able to join either since the prerequisite for both is clearing the final-year exams.

Due to multiple delays in the OBE, students have had to get workplace joining dates shifted. Priyanshi Sharma, an economics student from Daulat Ram College (DRC) has had her joining date at a Gurugram-based firm pushed twice. “My date of joining was June 20. Due to the pandemic, the exams were scheduled in July, so I asked the HR to change my original offer letter," Priyanshi said. "Due to the OBE being postponed again, I made the same request today as well, except I had no definitive response when asked about when I would be able to join since there is no schedule. If I were in the HR's shoes, I would not think well of such an institution or a potential employee from it. The entire episode has brought down the respect attached to the University of Delhi.”

Aditi Sinha is a B.Com student who has been placed with an accounting firm. “I tried reaching out to my HR but received no response," said Aditi. "I am hearing of several reputed firms rescinding offers and I am very nervous. I don’t know how they will conduct OBE, this is so stressful for us. They refuse to both conduct OBE or offer a legitimate alternative to it.”

At Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), whispers of job offers being rescinded have created panic. “Gartner for sure has rescinded offers," said Aditya, a third-year student at SRCC. "A lot of companies that have not rescinded offers have shifted joining dates way ahead, as far as Jan. 1, 2021." SRCC Placement Cell Secretary-General Prathyusha disagrees with these claims. “As far as I know, there has been no revocation due to the uncertainty regarding OBE,” she said.

Utkarsh Sharma, a B.Com student from Hindu College, was supposed to join the ESSEC Business School in France this September. While classes may start virtually, he will likely not be allowed to join the course without receiving his pass certificate. While one can defer the admission, Utkarsh will have to lose one academic year through no fault of his own. He said, “The thing is, I am not alone, there must be hundreds of such students. While some may be able to handle this trauma, others may not.”

Sakshi, who got admission at IIM Sirmaur for an MBA, will not be able to join the online classes that start on July 27. She is supposed to submit her final degree completion certificate by Nov. 30 and the OBE unpredictability has offered no clues about whether the exams would be checked and results would be available by then. “This is bound to affect my grades in the MBA and my summer placement interviews," Sakshi said. "Yet, nobody is ready to address this problem.”

Garima Sadhwani, who starts online classes at the Asian College of Journalism from Aug. 1, is worried about the OBE clashing with her studies. "How am I going to manage undergraduate exams and postgraduate lessons together?" said Garima. "Will ACJ change its curriculum to accommodate DU’s ambitious OBE project?"

Another OBE challenge is the fact the new pattern, which aims to test analytical skills, is alien to the students. ”The kind of system they want to go ahead with is very, very problematic, not only for technical reasons but regarding the sanctity of the examinations as well," said Rajib Ray, Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) president. "We did not teach them according to the open book examination system.” The DUTA has strongly opposed the exams since they were first proposed and has accused the University Grants Commission of prioritising the business needs of “the Amazon-run DU-OBE over the well-being of lakhs of students”.

Delhi University students have experienced many emotions over the past few months and many have channelled this uncertainty into humour, often in the form of memes at the expense of the Dean of Examinations or the Vice-Chancellor. A 25-page PDF filled with OBE-related memes has been circulating among college WhatsApp groups.

There is little that is in actuality amusing about the challenges the students face. The delay in joining workplaces, the risk of losing employment, the inability to join a master's programme and the possibility of doing badly in the exams due to technical glitches and a new format have created an atmosphere of anxiety for the class of 2020.

The OBE has added to the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and the lack of solutions has only added to the worries that seem to have no end.