Students hit by Covid pandemic to get chance to complete DU degrees

The executive council (EC) of the Delhi University passed a budget estimate of ₹1,717.45 crore for the financial year 2024-2025 in a meeting on Friday, EC members aware of the matter said, adding that the vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh has approved a special plan for students affected by the pandemic to complete their degrees.

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The meeting was presided over by Singh. The officials said that students in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 academic years will be allowed to appear for the remaining papers required for completion of their degree.

According to the budget estimates, ₹553.95 crore was been kept for salaries — ₹307.32 crore for regular faculty salary and ₹123.68 crore for regular non-faculty. Another the other important headers, ₹122.95 crore was allocated for things such as leave encashment, children education allowance, medical reimbursement and retirement benefits, etc, and a budget estimate of ₹154.88 crore was presented for buildings, books and journals, laboratory equipment, classroom equipment and furniture, computers, campus development, CCTV surveillance, and other capital assets.

Singh said that a special committee will be formed to evaluate the requests of students who have exceeded their academic tenure at the university, following which eligible students who suffered from unfavourable circumstances during the Covid 19 will be allowed to sit for the relevant examinations to help them complete their degrees. Eligible students will be allowed to submit applications on the impact of the pandemic and give reasons for their extension. Singh said that each application will be assessed individually.

The executive council also decided that students who have one paper left to complete the course will be given a special moderation of 10 marks. It was also decided that candidates with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) will get a 75% concession in total fee for admission to PhD, said a DU official, requesting anonymity.

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The approval received from the ministry of education regarding the creation of teaching and non-teaching posts for the Faculty of Technology was also discussed. Singh said there will be eight professors, 16 for associate professors and 48 assistant professors, in addition to 48 positions for non-teaching staff.