St stephen’s admissions: Supreme Court dismisses pleas filed by Delhi University, UGC

New Delhi, August 21

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The Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s order allowing St Stephen’s College to conduct interviews for admissions under the minority quota besides taking into consideration their common university entrance test (CUET) scores.

“Taking note that the impugned order is an interim order passed by the high court in a pending writ petition, at this stage, we see no reason to interfere with the high court order,” stated a Bench led by Justice AS Bopanna.

Any interference at this stage will create further confusion and uncertainty in the admission process, it noted. The top court asked the high court to decide the matter expeditiously considering the need for certainty in the matter.

The Delhi University (DU) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) had challenged the July 21 order of the high court permitting the St Stephen’s College to conduct interviews for granting admission to students under the minority quota besides taking into consideration their CUET scores. On behalf of DU, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta urged the top court to stay the Delhi High Court order, contending that the selection process is still going on.

“This is a minority institution, therefore, 50 per cent of the seats are filled by minority students. No difficulty with that. The question is how 50 per cent reserved seats are filled – first, strictly as per all-India merit list, i.e., CUET. Last year, they wanted to keep interviews for filling 50 per cent seats, DU directed them to fill 15 percent out of this 50 per cent seats through interviews. Interviews are always a subjective thing. Because of the HC order, meritorious students are being left out,” Mehta submitted.

Senior advocate A Mariarputham, representing St Stephen’s College, contended it was an interim order, students have been selected and the classes have already commenced. Refusing to interfere with the interim order, the Bench said, “At this stage, there will be more confusion for students,” the bench said.

Holding that the rights accorded to a minority institution under the Constitution cannot be extended to non-minorities, the high court had on September 12, 2022 directed St Stephen’s College to give 100 per cent weightage to the CUET 2022 score while granting admission to non-minority students in its undergraduate courses. — TNS

Delhi HC order

The Delhi University and University Grants Commission had challenged the July 21 order of the high court permitting St Stephen’s College to conduct interviews for granting admission to students under the minority quota besides taking into consideration their CUET scores.