The Delhi High Court on January 3, dismissed a plea that challenged Delhi University's Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) for admissions to various undergraduate courses in its colleges through Common University Entrance Test (CUET), 2022, as stated in a report by LiveLaw.
The bench stated that the challenge is unsubstantial and "there is no plausible reason to hold that the CSAS is arbitrary, unreasonable and falling foul of Articles 14 or 21 of the Constitution of India," the report stated.
The court was hearing a plea filed by two candidates who also sought permission to change their course or seat mutually, along with challenging the CSAS system. One of the petitioners secured 800 out of the maximum of 800 marks whereas the other secured 795 marks in CUET 2022, in the first list of CSAS (First Round) that was declared on October 18, 2022. The petitioners were accordingly allocated seats as per their first preference and they consequently accepted their admission to St Stephen’s College. They took admission to the courses of BA Programme and BA (Hons) English, respectively, the LiveLaw report stated.
However, later, they felt their first preference was incorrect and sought to alter the same. The university had declined their request for such a change, the report said.
Court's observations
The court observed that although the petitioners (candidates) were advised by the university that they would be required to take admissions as offered in the round but would be able to opt for "upgradation" in subsequent rounds, the choice of "upgradation" would be available only to those candidates who had not secured admission in accordance with their first preference, the report by LiveLaw stated.
"...Clearly, those students who had secured the admission as per their first preference would have no scope of further ‘upgradation’. In terms of the CSAS, the change of seats as sought by the petitioners is not permissible,” the court said, as per LiveLaw.
However, the court also noted that if the rights of other students would not be adversely affected, Delhi University and St Stephen’s College ought to consider the request made by the petitioners, as per Livelaw. Moreover, it clarified that if it was considered, this would not constitute a precedent, according to the report.
