The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the Delhi University to take a pragmatic approach and seriously consider the option of setting up a special cell for entertaining students issues of digital certificates, mark sheets and transcripts. The high court said students ought not to be forced to approach courts for issuance of their mark sheets, transcripts and degree certificates, which ought to be issued in the natural course within a reasonable time.
Justice Prathiba M Singh asked Joint Director of DU Computer Centre Sanjeev Singh and Dean (Examination) Vinay Gupta to join the proceedings before the court on Thursday to examine the feasibility of setting up a special cell to issue mark sheets, transcripts, degree certificates and other relevant documents online and also to enable students to have a proper interface with the varsity. The high court passed the order while hearing a petition by five doctors who graduated their MBBS course from Lady Hardinge Medical College, which is a part of Faculty of Medical Sciences, DU.
The reason for them to approach the high court is that they graduated in 2018 but have not received their degree certificate till date. The petitioners, represented through advocate Sarthak Maggon, submitted that they wish to apply for their residency programmes in the United States and to sit in the the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).
They said August 15 is the last date by which the degree certificates would have to be uploaded for processing to the 'My ECFMG' mobile application. Advocate Mohinder Rupal, appearing for DU, informed the court that in view of its order in another case, the varsity is taking steps for giving the tender for printing the degree certificates in an expeditious manner.
The court was told that a tender notice has been issued by the DU for printing and supply of degree certificates, as per which the deadline for submission of bids is August 1 and bids are to be open on August 3 after which the contract will then be entered into. "The printer would then commence printing of certificates. Thus, the process is long drawn and would not serve the purpose of students who have deadlines for submission of their documents," the court noted.
"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," Justice Singh said. The high court added that most institutions have made alternative arrangements during the lockdown period for issuance of digital certificates, digital mark sheets and digital transcripts online, along with the digital signatures and security features.
"Most of DU is under lockdown and there is very minimal physical interface between students and the administration. There is no reason as to why DU 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," the court said.
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