The Delhi University (DU) registrar Vikas Gupta wrote to the St Stephen’s principal on Monday reiterating that the institute will have to conduct admissions to the general seats through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
In March this year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) made CUET mandatory for admission to all central universities. St Stephen's is affiliated to DU, which is a central university.
According to an Indian Express report, Gupta wrote to the St Stephen’s saying, “This is with reference to your email dated April 20, 2022, regarding admission process for the session 2022-23 at St Stephen’s College. In this regard, I am to inform that the admission policy, as approved by Academic Council of University of Delhi, is applicable to all colleges (Constituent/ Affiliated) of University of Delhi.”
Delhi University has maintained that since St Stephen's is a minority institute, it was free to hold interviews for its 50 percent minority seats, but should go ahead with the CUET for its general seats.
What Has Happened So Far?
Earlier, while the rest of the DU would conduct admissions on the basis of cut-offs, St Stephen’s would conduct admissions on the basis of class 12 marks and a written test plus interview on the ratio 85:15.
A week after the DU announced that all admissions in institutes affiliated to it would have to conduct entrances through CUET, St Stephen’s wrote to the university if they could hold interviews for all and give a 85 percent weightage to CUET and 15 percent weightage to the interviews, as they had done with board results in the past.
On Monday, Gupta wrote to the principal saying that the institute would have to admit 50 percent of their general seats solely through CUET.
However, remaining 50% seats for minority candidates shall be filled on the basis of combined merit of 85% weightage to the CUET score and 15% weightage to the interview to be conducted by St Stephen’s College.DU Registrar Vikas Gupta wrote to the institute's administration
Why Does St Stephen’s Want To Hold on to Interviews?
A press release from the Principal John Varghese’s office on 20 April read, “This is the admission process - time tested, proven and guaranteed through a landmark judgement delivered by the highest court of the land - that will be followed for admission to College.”
According to the institute, it was the only way that students could prove themselves beyond their marks. Nandita Narain, former Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) president and a professor in the college, had told The Quint earlier, "The Supreme Court had allowed it in 1992. It is true that there was some logic behind it at the time. It was the only way we could take into account the general knowledge and extra curricular achievements of the candidate."
She had further said that students from different boards would have marks in different ranges. Hence, the interview was a way for the institute to gauge which candidate would be a better fit.
(With inputs from The Indian Express.)
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