COVID-19 Surge: IIT Delhi removes compulsory attendance requirement; extends deadline

According to the senate’s decision, one core and two elective courses can be done on an “audit basis”, meaning students have to just attend the classes and pass without those marks being counted toward the final grade.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has announced that in wake of the brutal second coronavirus wake, the institute has decided to remove attendance as a component in evaluation for all students. For all courses, the deadlines will be extended for any student adversely affected by the pandemic. Students ill for more than four weeks will also be considered for relaxation.

According to the senate’s decision, one core and two elective courses can be done on an “audit basis”, meaning students have to just attend the classes and pass without those marks being counted toward the final grade. While core courses are typically not available on an audit basis and are compulsory components of the final grade, this time these will be acceptable for graduation requirements. The same policy had been adopted for September 2020 as well.

The current semester, for all undergraduate students other than first-year ones, will end on April 30 post which students will have a week off for assignment submission from May 1 to May 7. The decisions came after a survey was conducted for all IIT Delhi students who are directly or indirectly affected by the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.

The institute had sought students’ opinions on how to continue the online semester. The survey revealed that a total of 857 students ( 22 per cent) tested positive and 61 percent of students’ immediate family members tested positive. For first-year BTech students, the semester will be conducted as per the schedule. The course content will be provided to students by May 25, 2021. The last days of the month from May 27 to May 31 will be converted into buffer days for doubt clearing. A significant number of surveyed students, 43 percent, wanted to halt the semester for a few weeks, while 49 percent were against it. For students other than those in UG first-year courses, an alternative system has been approved.

Apart from allowing one core and two elective courses on an audit basis, the minimum marks for passing have been set at 30 per cent. This will correspond to a ‘D’ grade in courses with credit and a ‘NP’, or a pass in audit courses. Of the surveyed students, 72 per cent, had requested an alternative audit system. This new system is applicable to students in postgraduate and dual degree students. Major tests for such students will commence from May 9 and would end on May 17, 2021.
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