New Delhi, Dec 2 (PTI) Over 40 PhD students of the Delhi University's (DU) Chemistry department have written to the head of the department, urging him not hold offline exams in view of the new variant of the coronavirus.

In the letter, the students said if online exams are not possible, the department could consider extending the date by a week.

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They said many students are not present in the campus and many are "not feeling comfortable" to write offline exams due to the new variant of COVID-19.

Chemistry department head Professor Sunil Sharma said the PhD students have been coming to the campus for laboratory work and that is why the department has decided to hold offline exams.

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"We have received their letter and told them that online exams will not be possible, but we can consider extending the date by a week," Sharma told PTI.

The exams are supposed to commence from December 10.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)