Over 100 Final Year Students From Faculty Of Law, DU Write Counter Representation To BCI To Continue With Open Book Examination Instead Of Assignment Based Evaluation

Over 100 final year students from Faculty of Law, Delhi University have written a counter representation to the Bar Council of India requesting it to continue with the open book examination for the pending intermediate exams instead of adopting the Assignment Based Evaluation.

The move comes after the representation made by over 300 similar final year law students who had written recently to the BCI requesting for the cancellation of their pending intermediate exams and to direct the University to adopt an Assignment Based Evaluation (ABE) instead.

According to the representation, it has been stated that conducting the Open Book Examination will help the students in "diverting their attention from all the negativity around by giving them a much needed break."

From the many reasons stated in the representation in support of their stand, Academic insecurity and unworthiness of the degree worsening the students' mental state is one of the reasons mentioned therein.

"There are plenty of students amongst us, even those who have actually lost their loved ones recently, want the exams to be conducted, because to us, studying or appearing for an exam does not affect our mental health adversely. However, on the contrary our academic insecurity and the unworthiness of the degree does because of the delay in exams and the declaration of results." The representation states.

Furthermore, it has also been averred that an exemption in the form of a second chance may be given to students who have lost their loved ones in the pandemic "if they show their unwillingness towards the exams right now."

Moreover, the representation also reads:

"Students' mental health is affected when they may have to study and appear for the exams. However, very few of them are those whose concerns are genuine, most of the students are those who are always looking for a way to somehow circumvent the exams and get a degree in hand. They are here not to study the law but to get the degree only. Their seriousness and passion is questionable when it comes to pursuing the LLB."

The aforesaid representation therefore requests BCI to allow the University of Delhi to carry on with the Open Book Examination instead of adopting the Assignment Based Evaluation.

According to the representation made by over 300 final year law students from DU Faculty of Law, it was stated that the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on people of all age groups, across income classes and regions, and in light of this, seeks for the reconsideration of the 31st May, 2021 notification of Faculty of Law wherein exams have been announced in at least 10 papers which are to be held within a period of 1.5 months.

"Needless to say, there is hardly any person who has not been drained of physical, mental, emotional and financial resources. The plight of those who have lost their loved ones is altogether unimaginable. There are several people of our age group who are doing their best to take care of ailing relatives, parents, friends and/or are giving their best to assist in COVID relief work". the representation read.

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