The Delhi High Court sought Delhi University’s response on a plea filed by St Stephen’s College against the varsity’s notification insisting on admission under minority quota solely on the basis of common university entrance test (CUET) score without an interview. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notices to DU as well as UGC on the college’s plea and asked them to file their replies, according to an official statement.
The court orally remarked that the DU notification was “contrary” to a judgment passed by it last year in connection with the admission process. Based on this judgment, it observed the college can issue prospectus. The judgment last year had allowed St Stephen’s College to admit minority students by additionally conducting interviews but upheld 100% weightage to CUET score for non-minority students, as per the statement.
“The (earlier) judgment is in existence. We will issue notice,” the court said. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the respondent, sought time from the court to file a reply to the college’s plea, saying there was no urgency in the matter at this stage. The petitioner, represented by advocate Romy Chacko, has said it was a minority educational institution and its right to select students for admission and administer educational institutions under the Constitution cannot be interfered with or taken away by the Delhi University, the statement mentioned.
It has contended that DU’s decision insisting on 100% weightage for CUET score for admission under minority quota is ultra vires (beyond the powers) to Article 30 of the Constitution and unconstitutional. “The Delhi University has now resolved that for admissions during the current academic year (2023), even in regard to the 50% Christian quota of seats admission shall be only on the basis of CUET score and no interview and addition of 15 per cent marks for interview will be permitted,” the plea said.
Last year, St Stephen’s College filed a petition challenging DU’s letter asking it to withdraw its prospectus which gave 85 per cent weightage to CUET and 15% weightage to college interview for admission to its unreserved seats in UG courses. Holding that the rights accorded to a minority institution under the Constitution cannot be extended to non-minorities, the court in September 2022 directed St Stephen’s College to give 100% weightage to the CUET 2022 score when giving admission to non-minority students in its undergraduate courses, the statement noted.
It said the college has the authority to conduct interviews in addition to the common university entrance test (CUET) for the admission of students belonging to the minority community but it cannot force the non-minority candidates to additionally undergo an interview.
With inputs from PTI.
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