Delhi University Suspends Online Classes Until 15th May

Due to the ongoing COVID crisis currently gripping the country, Delhi University has reportedly decided to suspend online classes until 16^th May.

The decision comes after calls for the suspension of classes have been made by hundreds of first-year students from various colleges.

According to reports, in a petition, the students have highlighted the difficulties in attending online classes due to the deepening COVID pandemic, as many of their family members and they themselves have been afflicted by the virus.

Reports also state that in a notice, Registrar Vikas Gupta said, “In view of the sudden surge in COVID-19 cases, the online teaching shall remain suspended till May 16, 2021, in the Departments and Colleges of the University. This is issued with the approval of the Competent Authority.”

Earlier, students of various colleges including St Stephen’s College, Hansraj College and Gargi College, had written to the Principal requesting for classes to be temporarily suspended and the academic calendar revised due to the current crisis.

Gupta added that these factors were taken into consideration while making the decision to suspend classes. Saying, “Classes for the fourth and sixth-semester students have already finished on April 29. Only the second-semester students are remaining, whose admission was delayed last year because of COVID. We were getting many reports that students were either affected by COVID themselves or their family members were suffering. We have also lost many teachers to the virus”.

He added, “The problem now is that of the academic calendar. It mandates 180 days of teaching. We will have to see what to do. We will try to reduce classes but beyond a point, even that will not possible. But we are working around it. It is difficult to plan beyond a point because the situation is unpredictable. We still don’t know when the COVID peak will come”.