The Delhi High Court on Monday condemned the Delhi University (DU) for failing to confirm the admissions of certain students to the post graduate (PG) courses at St Stephen’s College.
Justice Dharmesh Sharma ordered the Registrar and Dean Admissions of the DU to appear before the Court on October 15 through video conference and explain why they should not be punished under the law. The court said that it finds that the respondents are guilty of committing wilful disobedience in the nature of deliberately stalling the implementation of the direction of the court.
The court opined that the University were settling their personal grouse with the college management at the cost of students’ lives. It added that the concerned officials of the respondent DU while settling their personal grouses with the management of the petitioner-college, are in virtually playing with the life of the students, which action or deliberate omission is neither acceptable nor sustainable in law. It noted that the respondents are miserably failing to show cause as to what steps they have taken so far to facilitate the admission of the selected students by the petitioner-college in getting admission in PG courses.
The Delhi High Court was hearing a contempt plea moved by the college over alleged non-compliance with the directions passed by a single-judge in relation to seat allocation in PG courses. The college claimed that a significantly lower number of PG seats have been allotted to it in comparison to the other colleges. It further contended that the list of candidates belonging to the minority Christian community has not been considered by the DU and they have not been given admission in various PG courses.
The High Court found that the college in July had sent the list of selected students to DU and thereafter made repeated communications for admitting them to the PG courses. It observed that two months have passed by and the sessions for various PG courses have already commenced, thereby putting the students at risk for not meeting the UGC teaching days requirement.
Mentioning that the fate of the students is hanging in balance, the Court underlined that there has been stoic silence on the part of the respondents since the time list of the selected candidates was furnished to them. It further agreed that despite directions of the High Court, the allocation of seats in PG courses at St Stephen’s has been reduced as compared to the previous years. It also said that DU is yet to formulate any policy or guidelines to govern allocation/allotment of seats in PG courses amongst various colleges.
The Court further observed that the inordinate delay would cause irreparable harm to the selected students. It added that it is disappointing to see academics of repute displaying such insensitivity.