Delhi University�s School of Open Learning warns students against fake calls

7 September, 2020

NEW DELHI: After students complained of receiving phone calls from unknown numbers claiming that they could edit the online assignments for a fee, Delhi University�s School of Open Learning (SOL) issued a notice on Thursday warning students against the fraudulent practices.
The notice, �Beware of Fraudsters�, was issued by the SOL director, US Pandey, read, �It has been brought to our notice that some fraudsters have been approaching the students on behalf of SOL making fraudulent claims and asking for personal details and money to correct errors relating to the Assignment Based Evaluation.�
Pandey told TOI that �A student told us that she received calls saying her assignments did not have her parents� name and other contact details, and that the person will rectify that for a sum of a Rs100. She realised that you do not need parents' name in the paper and refused to interact with him despite his insistence.� He added that the institute had also alerted the police of the incident. The complaint has prompted reactions from DU teachers and students, who had been raising concerns over the possibility of fraud in the OBE exams.
Harish Gautam, a final year BA programme student, SOL, said, �Many of our fellow students have got calls from coaching centres promising to write the OBE exam for them. Since the students write these exams from home, there are no checks and balances,� he said.
Rajesh Jha, DU�s Executive Council member, said the warning issued by SOL clearly showed how OBE made our students vulnerable to fleecing. �The online OBE seems to have triggered many such ancillary enterprises. There were even questions raised about leakage of personal data of the students. It must be noted that most of the students in SOL are from economically weaker sections. Hence, their gullibility to fall prey to such tricks is very high,� he said.
Pandey, meanwhile, informed that the students were asked to write an undertaking that it was they who were attempting the questions. �I am sure many will not resort to the fraudulent means.�