Scores of students hailing from the North-Eastern States of India have been facing a peculiar trouble while seeking admission to Delhi University. Some of the colleges have denied admissions to them by refusing to acknowledge their ‘castes’ and ‘tribes’, which they said was not recognised under SC, ST or OBC categories.
Students were categorically told that they cannot apply under the reserved categories as the college authorities could not verify their certificate. Kshetrimayum Shrina from Manipur, with 81.5 per cent, was denied admission at Daulat Ram College for BCom even though she cleared the cut-off.
“I belong to the lois caste of Manipur. It is very clearly written in my certificate, but Daulat Ram College authority denied me admission saying my caste doesn't fall in the reserved categories. I have gone to the grievance cell and I am now going to the Deans Students' Welfare Department,” said Shrina.
Daya Agarwal, the Principal of the college, said that any such case emerges as the concerned officer could not verify the certificate of the candidate.
“Earlier, admission under reserved categories was done through university where DU authority verified the caste certificates. Now the admission is directly through colleges, hence, it gets difficult for us to verify them. OBC list is easily accessible on its commission's website. The commissions relating to SC/STs must issue lists to colleges to make verification easy,” she said.
An official of the university said around seven colleges have reportedly denied admissions on grounds of not being able to verify the particulars of the aspirants’ caste.
“Over the years, amendments have been made in our Constitution, under which various castes and tribes have been included from Tamil Naidu, Kerala and North-East. Colleges like Daulat Ram, lady Irwin and Sri Venkateshwara have been reported of not having updated their records,” the officials said.
Earlier, 30 to 40 such students had complained of the same problem at Kamla Nehru College, but the matter was resolved.
Authorities in Hindu College and Hansraj College, too, lacked the records of the number of castes falling under reserved categories from various States, but both the colleges “managed by getting details on time”.
Deputy Dean of Students Welfare Gurpreet Singh Tuteja said they do not want students to get harassed over such things and for records, colleges just needed to look up www.socialjustice.nic.in.