Explained: St Stephen’s standoff with DU over interviews for admissions

St Stephen’s College is going head to head with Delhi University on the issue of holding interviews for candidates. What is the standoff about? With Stephen’s holding its ground, what is next for DU?

St Stephen’s is the only college in Delhi University which has historically been supplementing the filter of cut-offs with an interview to screen and select its students from among applicants. (Express Photo: Amit Mehra, File)

A month after Delhi University’s Academic Council approved undergraduate admissions based solely on the basis of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), including for minority colleges, there is still no clarity on how the St Stephen’s College will hold admissions, with the college going head to head with the university on the issue of holding interviews for all candidates.

What has been Stephen’s admission process so far?

Since it’s a minority college, Stephen’s reserves 50 per cent seats for Christian candidates. While DU undergraduate admissions were based on cut-offs, Stephen’s conducted admissions differently. The college released cut-offs separate from the overall DU cut-off, after which admission was granted on the basis of three factors: 85 per cent weightage to class 12 marks and 15 per cent weightage each to written test and interview. However, in light of the Covid pandemic, the college did away with written tests, and interviews moved online.

What is the standoff about?

Around a week after the Academic Council said even minority colleges would have to conduct UG admissions through CUET, the university received a request from St Stephen’s College asking if they could hold interviews for all categories of students and give admissions on the basis of 85 per cent weightage to CUET score and 15 per cent weightage to interviews. DU responded to the request saying the college was free to hold interviews for its 50 per cent minority seats, but should go ahead only with the CUET scores for the general seats.

Stephen’s has not relented on its position, even with the DU asking them to rethink.

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Are there any other affiliated colleges which assert autonomy in admissions?

There are a total of six minority colleges in DU, of which Stephen’s is one. All the colleges have reserved seats for minorities. However, historically, these colleges did not consider the overall cut-off list released by DU for admissions. Apart from Stephen’s, the Jesus & Mary College (JMC) also released its own admission cut-off. However, unlike Stephen’s, JMC did not hold interviews for admissions, going solely on the basis of its own cut-off.

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Why does St Stephen’s follow its own admission norms?

As the most prestigious college of DU, St Stephen’s has always held interviews presumably to ensure that the quality of students is maintained, and so that merit is not measured only through school exams marks. In its most recent press statement, Principal John Varghese said, “This is the admission process – time-tested, proven and guaranteed through a landmark judgement delivered by the highest court of the land – that will be followed for admission to the College.”

Has Stephen’s been taken to court for holding interviews earlier?

Three teachers of the college had gone to the Delhi High Court in 2019 to challenge the appointment of a member nominated by the college’s Supreme Council to be a part of the interview panel for Christian students. However, the HC refused to intervene in the matter and grant a stay.

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With Stephen’s holding its ground, what is next for DU?

DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh had told The Indian Express that the university is examining that matter from a legal point of view. “We have to see the constitutional provisions. Since they are claiming that this has been a long practice and they have the freedom to continue with it now also, we are examining that aspect also,” he said.

Singh said with Stephen’s refusing to reconsider its decision, DU’s Admission Committee will now hold a meeting in a day or two and take its decision. If both sides persist, there is always the possibility of one or both parties approaching the courts for clarity.

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