A conflict between St. Stephen College and the University of Delhi was referred to Delhi High Court by the Supreme Court of India, yesterday on 18th July. The St. Stephens College claimed DU’s 2022 notification mentioning 100% seat allocation for general categories solely based on CUET merit, violates the minority rights. The college grants 85% seats on entrance while 15% seats through interviews.
A Supreme Court bench headed by Justice BR Gavai clarifies that the High Court will proceed with Stephen College’s petition by 1992 minority rights Institutions.
The popular conflict between DU and St Stephen College has remained since 1980 when the Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) raised some questions regarding the admission schedule and the college’s fixed process of an Interview. Many notifications, dialogues, and policies have also been commenced by DU VCs from time to time, but are unfruitful.
The issue attained popularity once again when DU intended to scrap the interview process in admission for non-christian community undergraduate courses students in St. Stephen Colleges. St. Stephen College filed a writ petition in the High Court on which a contradictory judgment was passed on 12th Sep 2022 to implement the university policy.
St. Stephen College implemented the University of Delhi’s notification of 8 December 2022 and extended its seat allocation from 50% reserved seats to 85% seat admission through the CUET score and 15% of seats have been allotted through the interview process. Although the DU’s notification is for 100% seat allocation on which the college had filed a plea in the Supreme Court. The college insisted in the court that it would be against the “ right of administer” of Article 30(1) in the constitution.
What is the 1992 Verdict of the Supreme Court?
Advocate for St. Stephen Colleges also cited a verdict of 1992 in which the Supreme Court had upheld St, Stephens colleges as a minority status college for the Christian community, the rights given under Article 30(1) in the constitution. The Constitution bench of 1992 upheld the admission-making process of 85% for qualifying examination marks and 15% through interviews.
