DU School of Open Learning Portal Lists Indian Students as Nepal Citizens
Several students enrolled at Delhi University's School of Open Learning (SOL) discovered an administrative glitch over the weekend that incorrectly listed their nationality as 'Nepal' on the official student portal, despite having identified themselves as 'Indian' in their admission documents.
SOL, which functions as a distance-learning institute under the Campus of Open Learning at Delhi University, holds weekend classes for its enrolled candidates. Students first noticed the discrepancy on Saturday and Sunday while logging into the online system to access academic schedules and learning materials.
Vivek Kumar, an affected student originally from Bihar and raised in Delhi, noticed the mistake on Saturday while checking the portal for his subjects and study resources. When he attended weekend classes, he discovered that nearly every classmate had the same foreign nationality reflected on their individual profiles. Kumar expressed concern that the error could lead to administrative hurdles in the future if left unresolved.
Another student, Pranjal Kumar Rai, stated that fellow classmates alerted him to the issue during Sunday classes. Upon checking his account, he found his profile also classified his nationality as 'Nepal'. Rai noted that the entire class appeared to be affected by the glitch. When students brought the issue to their instructors, teachers attributed the incorrect records to technical problems with the portal.
By Monday evening, both Kumar and Rai confirmed that their portal profiles had been corrected back to 'Indian'. However, student representatives noted that many more learners across the distance-education institution were likely affected by the portal glitch.
Addressing the matter, SOL Director Payal Mago stated that she had not yet received an official complaint from students regarding the error.
Student organisation Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) submitted a formal memorandum to Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh seeking immediate correction of the glitch. In its submission, the KYS described nationality as a sensitive and fundamental identity detail, warning that the issue represented more than a minor technical discrepancy. The organisation urged university authorities to ensure students do not face verification issues or harassment, while calling for an official inquiry to determine how the lapse occurred and fix responsibility.
