On 22 July 2020, the Delhi High Court questioned Delhi University to consider setting up a special cell for the purpose of entertaining requests from students for issuance of degree-certificate through email in a timely manner. (Dr Akshita Khosla vs DU)
A Single Judge Bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh passed the order in a petition by 5 doctors who graduated the MBBS course at Lady Hardinge Medical College, Delhi.
The petitioner pondered on the grievance that in spite of graduating in 2018, they were yet to receive their degree-certificate till present.
The petitioners wished to apply for their residency programmes in the United States and to meet the eligibility in theUSMLE examination;by August 15 they needed to upload their degree-certificate.
Delhi High Court in a similar writ petition respondedthat process of acquiring printer, etc was on-going for the purpose of printing the degree-certificates.
Information was given that the degrees could not be printed due to lack of printing facilities.
The Court observed in delhi university casethat August 1, 2020 was the deadline for submission of bids for the printer, and then bids would be opened on August 3, 2020. Subsequently,the contract would be entered into for the printer to commence printing of certificates.
The Court mentioned that the process is long drawn, would not serve the purpose of students who have deadlines for submission of their documents and responded,
Students, especially doctors providing their services during the COVID-19 pandemic, ought not to have been forced to approach this Court for seeking their degree-certificates, especially when they graduated two years ago. Representation is stated to have been made by 25 students to the Dean of Examinations of DU but there has been no response.
Observations were made that most delhi university institutions have made alternative arrangements for the issuance of digital certificates, digital mark-sheets and digital transcripts online, along with the digital signatures and security features amidst the lockdown.
Delhi High Court suggested,
There is no reason as to why Delhi University should not be adopting technically advanced methods to ensure that the students are not inconvenienced. DU ought to take a pragmatic approach in this matter and seriously consider the option of setting up a special cell, which would entertain requests of students on email, for digital-certificates, mark-sheets, transcripts etc. and installing the software necessary for issuance of degree-certificates with security features, to be sent online through email in a timely manner.
Justice Singh during the course of the hearing noted that why couldn’t the approach of signinging digitallybe adopted by Delhi University if the judges of the High Court can do so well.
The Court has given the directions seeking the presence of Joint Director, DU Computer Centre and Dean (Examination), DU before it through virtual mode for examining the feasibility of setting up a special cell to issue marksheets, transcripts, degree-certificates, etc.
The next hearing would take place soon.
Advocate SarthakMaggonrepresented the Petitioner.
Delhi University was represented by Senior Advocate Sachin Datta with Advocates MohinderRupal and HardikRupal.
Read the Order:
