Delhi HC reserves order in matters pertaining to St Stephen's admission through CUET
Aug 30, 2022
New Delhi [India], August 30 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday reserved its order on a plea of St Stephen's College challenging the order of Delhi University to grant admission in undergraduate courses through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and to withdraw the prospectus issued by the college.
The bench of Justice Satish Chander Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad on Tuesday also reserved the order in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) of a student, who had challenged the decision of St Stephen's College to conduct an interview round for admission to the unreserved category for the academic session 2022-23. Both matters were heard by the bench together.
Recently in an affidavit filed in the matters, Delhi University stated that the National Educational Policy recommends holding Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and it has to be uniformly accepted by St Stephen's College.
The Delhi University further stated that the law is well settled that aided Minority Educational institutions cannot admit students under the Unreserved Category as per their own whims and fancies.
The Delhi High Court is presently examining two petitions, one is moved by St Stephen's College challenging the order of the Delhi University to grant admission in undergraduate courses through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and to withdraw the prospectus issued by the college and the second is moved by Monika Poddar, a law student through PIL challenged the college decision to continue with interviews for admission to its general seats.
During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioner Kanika Poddar, said that when there is 50 per cent reservation then the colour of the minority has already been given. He added that the college does not require any extra selection procedure for the general.
Meanwhile, Delhi University has also supported the petition of the student and said that the college cannot be allowed to bring "subjectivity bias and discrimination" through the conduct of interviews for students belonging to non-minority communities.
Earlier, Delhi HC had issued notice to all respondents in both matters.
The bench earlier also said to the college administration that "If your stand is that you are entitled to give 15 per cent marks for an interview then don't implement the DU circular right now. We will hear the matter. No consequences are falling on you till the next date of hearing. You stick to your stand."
The petitioner college has challenged the DU order to withdraw the prospectus issued by it and to grant admission through CUET. It is stated by the petitioner that they are conducting interviews of students seeking admission in the college. This practice has been for so many years and it was allowed.
The PIL of the student had challenged the decision of St Stephen's College to conduct an interview round for admission to the unreserved category for the academic session 2022-23. The petition filed through advocate Akash Vajpai stated that taking interviews where the award of marks is left to the subjective satisfaction of the selection committee gives ample room for discrimination and manipulation.
PIL stated that DU policy specifically says that admission in the general category seats in its minority colleges like St Stephen's will be made only on the basis of marks obtained in CUET while in admission on reserved seats those colleges can give 15 per cent weightage to the interview and 85 per cent weightage to the CUET score at the time of admission. It is sought that admission should be granted according to the DU's recommendations.
