NEW DELHI: Coming to the rescue of students stranded due to a dispute over CUET admissions between Delhi University and St Stephen’s College, Delhi High Court on Friday granted provisional admission to six candidates in the college.
The court noted that there was no fault of the six students who had successfully cleared the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and other formalities to be allotted St Stephen’s College as per their given choice, yet were unable to secure their admissions due to the “policy dispute” between the university and the college.
“In these peculiar circumstances, without there being any fault on the part of the present petitioners and despite them being meritorious and having cleared all the formalities and tests, they are being kept under suspense regarding the fate of their admission. Such circumstances, where their future prospects of studying in the college of their choice are being compromised due to the policy-related disputes of respondent no. 1 (DU) and respondent no. 3 (St Stephen’s College), will require judicial intervention, in the interest of the petitioners,” Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted in an interim order.
The court pointed out that the six students, represented by senior advocate Rishi Malhotra, were allocated St Stephen’s as the college of their preference and choice as per DU’s policy and after clearing CUET and other formalities.
It observed that even while counselling has begun and will conclude by Aug 25, the online applications of the petitioners have neither been rejected nor accepted by the college, and their applications are still “under process” on DU’s admission portal.
“In view thereof, this court directs that the petitioners herein will be granted provisional admission” in the college, as per allocation by DU, the court said, granting interim relief.
It further noted that in case the petitioners do not succeed eventually in their plea, they may lose the prospect of securing admission in even the second choice of college. It therefore directed the university to open its portal for depositing fees, only for the six petitioners, on Aug 24 between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
On its part, the college informed the court that it had only three seats for BA (Program) and blamed DU for instead allocating 19 candidates for the course in the college. However, DU’s counsel said the university would file a detailed reply, accusing the college of raising frivolous objections, and reiterating that the college is duty-bound to comply with the allocation list issued by the university.
The court noted that there was no fault of the six students who had successfully cleared the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and other formalities to be allotted St Stephen’s College as per their given choice, yet were unable to secure their admissions due to the “policy dispute” between the university and the college.
“In these peculiar circumstances, without there being any fault on the part of the present petitioners and despite them being meritorious and having cleared all the formalities and tests, they are being kept under suspense regarding the fate of their admission. Such circumstances, where their future prospects of studying in the college of their choice are being compromised due to the policy-related disputes of respondent no. 1 (DU) and respondent no. 3 (St Stephen’s College), will require judicial intervention, in the interest of the petitioners,” Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted in an interim order.
The court pointed out that the six students, represented by senior advocate Rishi Malhotra, were allocated St Stephen’s as the college of their preference and choice as per DU’s policy and after clearing CUET and other formalities.
It observed that even while counselling has begun and will conclude by Aug 25, the online applications of the petitioners have neither been rejected nor accepted by the college, and their applications are still “under process” on DU’s admission portal.
“In view thereof, this court directs that the petitioners herein will be granted provisional admission” in the college, as per allocation by DU, the court said, granting interim relief.
It further noted that in case the petitioners do not succeed eventually in their plea, they may lose the prospect of securing admission in even the second choice of college. It therefore directed the university to open its portal for depositing fees, only for the six petitioners, on Aug 24 between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
On its part, the college informed the court that it had only three seats for BA (Program) and blamed DU for instead allocating 19 candidates for the course in the college. However, DU’s counsel said the university would file a detailed reply, accusing the college of raising frivolous objections, and reiterating that the college is duty-bound to comply with the allocation list issued by the university.