Stephen’s admission: Delhi HC issues notice to college, DU and UGC

The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Sachin Datta also issued notice to the University Grants Commission, and granted the respondents four weeks to respond. It listed the matter for the hearing on July 6. St Stephen’s College and DU have been at loggerheads over the minority institution’s refusal to do away with interviews for admissions to its general seats. The college last month announced that it would give 85% weightage to the CUET score and 15% to the interview.

A DU law student, Konika Poddar, has challenged the college’s decision. Senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj represented the petitioner. The PIL, filed through advocate Akash Vajpai, states that it is being filed “on behalf of the hundreds of students who want to take admission in unreserved seats” of St Stephen’s but do not want to appear for interview as it “is against the admission policy” of DU, and also against the mandate of its Academic and Executive council.

“In the past, students used to be under huge stress to secure more than 95% marks in Class XII board examination so as to get admission in the university of their choice. With the introduction of CUET, stress on them for securing very high marks in the one and only board examination stands reduced,” argues the petition. It further contends that DU rules are binding on “St Stephen’s College also, irrespective of its minority character”, and that a minority institution cannot “disregard merit or merit-based selection of students”.

“The National Education Policy has clearly elucidated that entrance to higher education should be through common entrance test at the national level so that there is a uniform standard of benchmarking of candidates,” reads the petition.