DU to approach city police to allow forensic science students to visit crime spots; Proposal ready

PTI, Jul 10, 2024, 5:33 PM IST

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New Delhi: Delhi University’s Forensic Science students are likely to find their way to crime scenes as interns, with the varsity planning to approach Delhi Police to allow them to visit the spots along with investigators. DU’s Department of Anthropology has prepared a proposal that will be tabled for approval before the Academic Council of the varsity, which will meet on July 12.

The department will write a Letter of Recommendation (LOR) to the Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) of districts to help their students gain field exposure, an official said.

The proposal seeks slight modifications to the curriculum of its MSc Forensic Science course for final semester students to include a visit to crime scenes through police stations.

“The final year students in a way will intern under the Delhi Police to gain exposure when they visit crime scenes and see the collection of forensic evidence,” the official told PTI.

Giving further details about the proposal, another official said that students will be given training in a forensic science laboratory and asked to prepare a project report based on their exposure in court room and case ethnography.

Earlier, the final semester MSc Forensic Science students managed to seek permission to visit a crime scene, which is a part of their curriculum, on their own, but the department now plans to formally write a LOR to the DCPs to allow their students to visit the crime spot and gain real-life exposure of how forensics evidence is collected.

“We have not made any changes to the curriculum of MSc Forensic Science. We only have proposed slight modifications to bring better clarity in the course content and define the process through which final year students can undergo training, prepare their project report and gain field exposure,” the official said.

As part of their plan, the varsity’s anthropology department will also approach reputed lawyers to provide their students with case studies, the official said, adding that it will help them gain more experience.

The Department of Anthropology at the University of Delhi was founded in 1947 and the first batch of students was admitted a year later. The department offers degrees in BSc, MSc, MPhil, PhD and certificate courses in Forensic Science.