Delhi HC Asks St Stephen's College To Admit 7 Students Whom DU Had Allotted Seats

Amid the ongoing row between Delhi University and St Stephen's College over admission, the Justice Swarnakanta Sharma's bench has directed the college to grant admission to seven students, who were denied admission although they were allotted seats by the university.

New Delhi:The Delhi High Court has directed St. Stephens College to grant admission to seven students in undergraduate courses as per the seat allocation of Delhi University (DU).

The order was issued by Justice Swarnakanta Sharma's bench. The DU had allotted seats to these seven students in St. Stephens College on the basis of Common University Entrance Test (CUET) results but the college denied them admission. After which, the students knocked the door of the High Court.

During the hearing, St. Stephens College had said that the DU's decision to create a single girl child quota for admission in undergraduate programme is a violation of the right to equality. Advocate Romi Chako, representing St. Stephens College, had cited the order of single girl child quota as a violation of Article 14, 15(3), 15(5) and 30 of the Constitution.

The court had asked whether St. Stephens College had ever opposed the single girl child quota policy before. To which, Chako responded that the college has never opposed this policy but it is not bound to do so either because, it is not clear on what basis Delhi University is implementing it.

Chako further argued that if it is a matter of admission of a single girl child, the college has no problem but DU is saying that if there are 13 programmes, then 13 single girls will have to be granted admission. Doing this is illegal, the advocate stated.

Advocate Mohinder Rupal, representing DU, opposed the arguments of St. Stephens College, clarifying that the college has never opposed this policy before.

After which, the court said that the college should have opposed this policy separately. To which, the college argued that there is no legal basis for the single girl child quota and questioned as to how it can be implemented without any legal ground.

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