3 min readNew DelhiMay 27, 2026 02:49 AM IST
First published on: May 27, 2026 at 02:49 AM IST
Amid backlash over the Faculty of Law, Delhi University’s (DU) decision to hold an examination on the day of Bakrid on May 28, the varsity informed the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that students who wish to participate in the festivities may inform the Dean of the college through email by Wednesday, adding that the examination would be rescheduled for the exempted students after July 4.
The submission was made by advocate Mohinder Rupal on behalf of the varsity, following two petitions moved by students of the Faculty of Law, DU, who approached the high court highlighting that despite May 28 being officially declared a public holiday on the occasion of Bakrid, DU had “arbitrarily decided to continue examinations on the said date.”
When the examination schedule was put out by the varsity on May 4, the Delhi government holiday for Bakrid was notified for May 27. Consequently, 27 May was kept as a free day in the examination schedule. However, following the moon-sighting announcements and confirmations by religious authorities across India, the date to observe Bakrid was changed to Thursday, May 28. Subsequently, DU on May 25 notified May 28 as an official holiday.
The students in their petition submitted that the decision to conduct exams on Bakrid effectively deprives them of their “right to peacefully observe and celebrate an important religious festival.”
The matter was taken up before Justice Jasmeet Singh on Tuesday, whereupon DU’s counsel told the court at the outset that the varsity had made a concession that those participating in the festivities could notify the Dean accordingly, and a special examination would be held for the exempted students after July 4.
The petitions state that DU’s decision to conduct the exam on May 28, the day of Bakrid, is “wholly contrary to the conduct adopted by other constitutional authorities, public institutions and national examination bodies across the country, all of whom have reasonably accommodated students and stakeholders in view of Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid).”
Further, the petitioners argued that DU’s refusal to extend similar accommodation, despite the availability of sufficient administrative flexibility for rescheduling a single examination paper, “demonstrates complete non-application of mind, institutional insensitivity and failure to uphold the constitutional values of secularism, equality and fairness.”
The court disposed of the petitions and recorded DU’s statement in its order, noting: “(DU’s counsel Mohinder Rupal) on instruction states that the students belonging to the minority community and/or students who wish to participate in Bakrid festivities on May 28 may inform the Dean Faculty of Law through email by tomorrow (Wednesday) and the exam which is proposed to be held on May 28 will be held after July 4. The rescheduled exam will be notified to students at least one week in advance before the exam.”
The petitions state that DU's decision to conduct the exam on May 28, the day of Bakrid, is “wholly contrary to the conduct adopted by other constitutional authorities, public institutions and national examination bodies across the country, all of whom have reasonably accommodated students and stakeholders in view of Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid).”
Share
