Stuti Tibrewal, Blogger at Edumarz
St Stephen’s College at Delhi University has written to Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, stating that they would not modify their decision to perform interviews for all students, since “there shall be no discrimination between minority and non-minority candidates” in this respect.
“The institution will follow the CUET mandate of the University of Delhi,” Principal John Varghese stated in a press release posted on the college website. The National Testing Agency (NTA) requires all college candidates to take the CUET test. This is the college’s minimal eligibility standard, and it will be closely adhered to.”
He stated that interviews will be held for “all applicants” chosen by the college from the CUET list and that the CUET score will be given 85 percent weight, while interviews will be given 15%. “This is the admission procedure that will be followed for admission to the college,” he stated, adding that it is “time-tested, proved, and guaranteed by a historic ruling given by the highest court of the nation.”
“There shall be no discrimination between minority and non-minority applicants with respect to the 85 percent +15 percent formula for admission to the college,” Varghese said in keeping with the spirit of the constitutional rights guaranteed to the college, adding to that all of these points had been communicated to the V-C and other officials.
Stephen’s had “refused” to relent, according to V-C Singh, who spoke to The Indian Express.
Singh told The Indian Express on Monday, following a meeting with the college principal, that Stephen’s was persistent in having interviews and that they had been advised to rethink. He had stated that the university will make a decision after receiving an answer from Stephen’s.
St Stephen’s College is one of the University of Delhi’s six minority colleges. It allows 50% of the seats to Christian candidates.
DU officials had received a request from St Stephen’s to allow them to undertake interviews across all categories, despite DU’s determination that admissions to all institutions, including minority colleges, will be based only on CUET scores. However, Singh stated that the college had been informed that admissions to general seats should be made only on the basis of the CUET result. They may stick with the 85:15 ratio for the remaining 50% of reserved tickets.
However, according to the St Stephen’s college’s admission policy, “it reserves the right to continue with admissions as per its own admission policy guaranteed to it as a minority institution and as per past practice,” as stated on its website.
Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College has said admissions will be based on 85 percent of CUET scores and 15 percent of interview marks for all categories of candidates, according to the college. They also said that the institution also announced the establishment of its undergraduate admission site, via which individuals interested in attending the college should apply as well as register for CUET. The college will determine the number of candidates in each category who will be shortlisted based on their CUET scores and invited for an interview. The University Grants Commission made the CUET score essential for admission to all 45 of the country’s central institutions last month.