DU admission row: St Stephens challenges withdrawal of its prospectus

New Delhi, June 2

A plea was moved by St Stephen's College on Thursday in the Delhi High Court against the Delhi University's order to withdraw its admission prospectus and allow admissions through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).

The move comes a day after a law student at the Delhi University approached the high court through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging that the college violates DU guidelines through its 15 per cent weightage plan for interviews under a selection committee.

After hearing the submissions of the petitioner, a bench of Justice Sanjeev Narula listed the petition before the division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi.

Now the matter will be heard on July 6.

During the course of the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma cited the PIL filed by the law student on Wednesday.

He said, in this regard, a notice has been issued to the respondents including the St Stephens College.

Advocate Romy Chacko appeared on behalf of the college.

Pointing out the similarities in the plea, the bench said both matters should be dealt with by the same bench.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday had issued notice on the PIL challenging the decision of St Stephen's College to grant 15 per cent weightage to interviews under a selection committee for the admissions to the general category for the current academic year.

"The recommendation of the committee was a boon for those lakhs of students who wanted to study in Respondent University but did not have enough marks in their intermediate exams," the plea read. It also alleged that the process will give "ample room for discrimination and manipulation".

The prospectus issued by St Stephen's for admissions 2022-23 states that students from all categories, including general/unreserved seats, will be admitted on the basis of an 85:15 ratio. While 85 per cent of weightage would be given to the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), 15 per cent weightage would be given to interviews.

However, this decision is a violation of the Delhi University guidelines issued for admissions to the new academic session, the petitioner student argued.