The Delhi University (DU) on Tuesday warned St Stephen’s college that it will declare "null and void" all admissions made by it in violation of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) guidelines after the college released a prospectus announcing it will admit students for undergraduate courses while sticking to its stated 85:15 weightage formula that would give 15 per cent weightage to interviews for admission across categories. The university has asked the college to withdraw the prospectus containing the "incongruent policy immediately."
In a letter to the Principal of St Stephen's College, John Varghese, DU’s Registrar Vikas Gupta said any admission done in violation of the admission norms will not be recognised and be treated as annulled for all purposes.
The prospectus for the college's undergraduate courses 2022-23 stated, "St Stephen's College will adopt the CUET as the eligibility criteria with 85 per cent weightage for CUET and the college's interview for shortlisted candidates with a weightage of 15 per cent."
Under the heading ‘Admission of General Category students’ too, the prospectus says: “The weightage for admission shall be CUET marks – 85 per cent and interview – 15 per cent.” It had stated the same thing in its admission notice posted on its website last month.
The DU’s warning comes after a long-drawn tussle between the college and DU over the matter. While the DU’s Academic Council (AC) had decided that all undergraduate admissions, including in minority colleges, will be done solely on the basis of CUET, St. Stephen's College, asserting its minority institution character, has said it will accord 85 per cent weightage to the CUET score and 15 per cent to physical interview for all categories of candidates.
This stand is strongly opposed by DU, which wants interviews to be conducted only for the reserved category students. On May 9, the Registrar had written to the college asking it to “abide” by the DU’s decision.
In the letter, DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said, "This is in clear violation of the admission policies approved by the Statutory Bodies of the University of Delhi. You must withdraw the Admission Prospectus containing such an incongruent policy from the website of your college immediately."
He asked the college to issue a public notice stating clearly that the approved admission policies of DU shall be applicable for admissions into various courses to be offered by the St. Stephen's College for the UG programmes for session 2022-2023. Gupta conveyed that DU will not be responsible for any "consequential impact on the life and career of the candidates admitted in the college in violation of the university admission policy.".
"You are advised to take necessary steps in this regard immediately and inform the University accordingly," the statement read.
“With regard to your college, taking note of the fact that it is a Minority institution (for candidates belonging to the Christian community), the university has decided that 50 per cent of the open seats shall be filled solely on the basis of merit of the CUET score.
However, the remaining 50 per cent seats for minority candidates shall be filled on the basis of combined merit of 85 per cent weightage to the CUET score and 15 per cent weightage to the interview to be conducted by St Stephen’s College,” Registrar Vikas Gupta had written.
“There must be a single merit list for the admission of candidates belonging to the Christian community regardless of any denominations/sub-sects/sub-categories within the Christian minority community. In view of the above, you are required to abide by the admission policy as detailed…which is applicable for admission of students in St Stephen’s College for the session 2022-23,” he had said. The University Grants Commission has decided to hold CUET for admission to all central universities for academic session 2022-23.
The test is aimed at providing a common platform to candidates from across the country an equal opportunity to secure admission to a central university.
The CBSE, CISCE and State Boards have different evaluation yardsticks for appraising students clearing the Class 12 examination which has resulted in outlandishly high cut-off marks in institutions like the Delhi University.