The University of Delhi has directed St Stephen’s College to follow the regulations stated by the UGC in the process of appointing a new principal "in true spirit". The previous principal of the college Professor John Varghese's reappointment to the post was “illegal”.
In a second letter that was addressed to the Chairman of St Stephen's College, Bishop Prem Chand Singh, the university on Friday, September 16, stated it is not easy to recognise Professor John Varghese as the principal of the college since his five-year term that started in 2016 has now ended.
The council of the college approved the extension of his service recently, but Delhi University on August 22 wrote a letter to the Chairman of the college directing that the reappointment of Professor Varghese as the principal is “null and void”.
In a response to this, St Stephen’s College stated that the college has “every legal right” to reappoint Professor Varghese as the principal.
The Delhi University raised various clauses issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC), "It is obligatory on the part of the college to follow the provisions of said UGC regulations in the matter of reappointment of the principal in letter and spirit. Not following the said provisions amounts to an illegal and non-statutory continuation of Professor John Varghese as Principal of St. Stephen's College," the university said, as reported by PTI.
The college should, "follow the UGC regulations in true spirit for the appointment of principal in the college and in absence of the same, the university is constrained not to recognize Professor John Varghese as principal of the college ever since his five-year term ended". The university and Varghese have been at loggerheads over the admission policy for several months.
The college earlier said that it will grant 85% weightage to the CUET(Common Universit Entrance Test) and 15% to interviews for candidates belonging to all categories.
The Delhi High Court recently directed St Stephen's College to follow the admission policy formulated by Delhi University and accord 100% weightage to the CUET 2022 score while granting admission to non-minority students in its undergraduate courses.
