New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Tuesday said absence of IT facilities at several Common Service (CSE) centers needs to be addressed on war footing as the first phase of mock tests for online Open Books Examinations (OBE) in Delhi University is proposed to commence from July 27.

A bench Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad also directed the ministries of Human Resource Development and Electronics to file affidavit furnishing the status of the CSE centers, the arrangement made for scribes at the CSE centers for students in the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) category, their preparedness for smoothly conducting the online examination.

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The high court's direction came after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some petitioners, submitted that non-availability of scribes at the CSE centers, 12,000 non-functional centres, as per the website of the Ministry of Electronics and lack of adequate IT infrastructure there still remains a matter of concern for the PWD category of students who intend to participate in the online OBE examination.

As central government standing counsel Ripu Daman Bhardwaj, appearing for HRD Ministry, did not have any instructions on the aspect, the high court directed the ministries of HRD and IT to file affidavits by July 20.

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“Since it is the duty of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development to co-ordinate with all the other ministries to facilitate the online OBE examination mode for conducting examinations for the final year students of the Delhi University and probably, several other Central Universities across the country, the Ministry of Electronics and the Ministry of Human Resource and Development are directed to file affidavits …

“Absence of IT facilities at several CSE centres needs to be addressed on war footing as the first phase of the mock test is proposed to commence with effect from July 27. Affidavits shall be filed by both the ministries on or before July 27,” the bench said and listed that matter for further hearing on July 22.

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