Delhi HC Allows St Stephen’s College to Conduct Interviews for Minority Seat Admissions

New Delhi, July 27, 2023: The Delhi High Court has granted permission to St Stephen’s College and Jesus and Mary College to conduct interviews for admissions under the minority quota, in addition to considering their common university entrance test (CUET) scores.

The court’s decision came in response to applications filed by the two minority colleges seeking to stay the Delhi University’s (DU) December 8, 2022, decision that insisted on 100 percent weightage for CUET 2023 scores for admissions to the minority quota.

The court clarified its earlier ruling, stating that St Stephen’s College has the right to conduct interviews for 15 percent weightage for minority students, but not for non-minority students. The DU’s decision to solely base admission to undergraduate programs, including minority seats, on the CUET for the academic year 2023-24 was questioned by the court.

The bench, headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramaniam Prasad, observed a “complete lack of reasoning” in the DU’s decision, indicating a lack of due diligence.

As an interim measure, the court directed St Stephen’s College to consider CUET scores with 85 percent weightage and conduct interviews with 15 percent weightage for shortlisted Christian minority candidates for the academic year 2023-24.

The court opined that the colleges would suffer an irreparable loss if interim relief is not granted, admitting the petitions filed by the colleges. Senior advocate A Mariarputham and advocate Romy Chacko represented the petitioner colleges, while senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj appeared for petitioner Sharon Ann George.

St Stephen’s College had previously challenged the DU’s letter requesting the withdrawal of its prospectus, which allocated 85 percent weightage to CUET and 15 percent to college interviews for admission to unreserved seats in undergraduate courses. The court, in September 2022, had directed the college to give 100 percent weightage to CUET scores for non-minority students and allowed interviews for minority community candidates.

The present petition was filed by St Stephen’s College against DU’s notification, asserting that as a minority educational institution, its right to select students for admission and administer the institution cannot be interfered with under the Constitution.