New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Students’ organisation Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) on Saturday condemned the alleged discrimination against students of Delhi University’s School of Open Learning (SOL) by the administration of Shyam Lal College.

The organisation demanded a written public apology from the college principal and sought action against the institution’s authorities.

KYS Delhi State Committee member Bhim Kumar said in a statement that the administration of Delhi University’s Shyam Lal College was recently found charging SOL students for storing their bags and mobile phones outside the college, which had been designated as an examination centre.

According to Bhim Kumar, when students arrived for their semester-end examinations at Shyam Lal College, they found a banner outside the college gate mentioning charges for depositing bags and mobile phones.

“It should be noted that the charge for keeping a bag and mobile phone was Rs 10 each. Not only were students being charged for this facility, but the college administration also categorically denied responsibility in case any item was lost,” he said.

He said examination centres are expected to provide storage facilities for bags and belongings of examinees across the country, including in Delhi University.

“It is the duty of the administration of any examination centre to ensure that students are provided this facility. For regular students, DU ensures such facilities. However, in the case of SOL students, this reflects blatant discrimination,” he alleged.

He further claimed that the incident highlighted discrimination against students coming from marginalised sections of society.

Moreover, he alleged that this was not the first instance of SOL students facing such treatment and described it as a continuation of what he termed the university’s longstanding practice of “educational apartheid”, where lakhs of students were allegedly discriminated against despite being enrolled in the same university.

Citing previous examples, Bhim Kumar claimed that in January 2024, SOL B.Com first-semester students were made to write examinations in makeshift tents at Motilal Nehru College and Aurobindo College during winter conditions.

Similarly, in May last year, they were allegedly made to write examinations in the basement parking area of a university building in North Campus.

He further alleged that in March this year, SOL students were barred from participating in a Job Mela programme organised by the Delhi University administration.

Similarly, in 2019, SOL students were allegedly barred from participating in a logo-designing competition conducted by the Women’s Studies Development Centre.

“From being made to sit in under-construction basements and tents during examinations to abrupt changes in examination schedules and being forced to stand in queues for study materials, SOL students have repeatedly faced apathy and discrimination,” he alleged while criticising the university administration and Shyam Lal College.

The organisation reiterated its demand for a written public apology from the college principal and action against the college authorities by Delhi University.

KYS also demanded that the university ensure that no such incident occurs with SOL students during examinations in future.

The organisation said it would continue its wider campaign against inequality and discrimination in Delhi University and other higher educational institutions.

–IANS

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