NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a plea preferred by St Stephen’s College against Delhi HC’s ruling that asks the college to follow DU’s new admission policy and issue fresh prospectus in that regard on Wednesday. DU’s new admission policy does away with the interview component and mandates only CUET scores for admissions to 50% unreserved seats (general seats). St Stephens on the other hand insists on giving 15% weightage to interview for Christian and general admissions.
A bench of Justices Ajay and CT Ravikumar agreed to consider the petition. During a brief hearing, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal appearing for the college, submitted that the college has been following the admission policy of giving weightage to interview.
“You might be following the policy for 40 years, but there’s a judgment. It may or may not sustain. So far as the merits of the issue are concerned, it deserves consideration. As on today when we see into surroundings, we request you to minimise elements of human discretion so that talented persons may not suffer,” Justice Ajay Rastogi, the presiding judge of the bench remarked.
Earlier, two SC judges Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph had recused themselves from considering the college’s plea. Considering recusal of judges, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for Delhi University reassured that no precipitative action would be taken till the matter comes up for hearing.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharmaon September 12 had asked college to consider CUET 2022 score but had however authorised the college to conduct interviews in addition to CUET only to admit Christian students but could not force non minority students to additionally undergo an interview. The bench, however, ruled that DU “cannot insist upon a single merit list for admission of candidates belonging to the Christian community regardless of denomination etc.”