A protest by students affiliated with the All India Students' Association (AISA) against Delhi University's decision to conduct examinations on Eid-ul-Azha turned tense on Wednesday, with students alleging that security personnel manhandled protesters outside the university's examination branch.
Protest and Allegations
According to AISA-DU, students had gathered to demand that examinations scheduled on the gazetted holiday be postponed. The student body claimed that hundreds of security personnel were deployed outside the examination branch premises and alleged that protesters were 'dragged, manhandled and beaten' during the demonstration.
University's Response
However, DU Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh denied allegations of any scuffle between students and security staff. He said students were stopped because they were trying to enter the building. 'They were trying to enter the building, so they were just asked to leave. The university's decision remains the same; the exams scheduled for Thursday (May 28) will be held as scheduled,' Singh said.
Background of the Controversy
The protest comes a day after Delhi High Court was informed by the university that Muslim students or any other student facing difficulty can email the Dean of the Faculty of Law and appear for the examination after July 4 instead of May 28. Despite this, AISA said relief was only provided to students of the law faculty, while thousands of students from other departments were still expected to appear for examinations on Eid-ul-Azha.
The controversy began earlier this week after the university issued an office memorandum stating that all offices, faculties, departments, colleges and institutions of the university would remain closed on May 28 for Eid-ul-Azha. However, the notice also clarified that examinations would continue as scheduled.
