Delhi HC to hear plea against absolute weightage to CUET score for minority institutions

Delhi University’s minority institutions complain that they have been deprived of their rights under Article 30 of the Constitution. The hearing is scheduled on May 24.
The hearing is scheduled on May 24 | Credit: TNIE
The hearing is scheduled on May 24 | Credit: TNIE

The Delhi High Court will hear a plea by Jesus and Mary College (JMC), on May 24, challenging a notification by the Delhi University (DU) insisting on admissions under minority quota solely on the basis of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores, without any interview.

The petitioner college contended that the decision by DU insisting on 100 per cent weightage on CUET score for admission under the minority quota is against Article 30 of the Constitution which states that all minorities shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.

In the petition JMC, represented by advocate Romy Chacko, said that it was a minority educational institution and its right to select students for admission and under the Constitution, cannot be interfered with by the university.

"The Delhi University has now resolved that for admissions during the current academic year, even in regard to 50 per cent Christian Quota of seats admission, shall be only on the basis of CUET score and no interview and addition of 15 per cent marks for interview will be permitted," the plea said.

The plea added that the university has deprived the minority institutions of the opportunity of interviewing candidates to be admitted under the minority quota which constrained the petitioner to challenge the notification.

Another similar petition

The college added that this decision of the university is contrary to the September 2022 judgment of the high court in St Stephen's College's matter in which it has recognised the college's right to select students of minority category by conducting interviews.

Last year, St Stephen's College had also filed a petition challenging DU's letter asking it to withdraw its prospectus which gave 85 per cent weightage to CUET and 15 per cent to college interviews for admission to its unreserved seats in UG courses.

Holding that the rights accorded to a minority institution under the Constitution cannot be extended to non-minorities, the high court had in September 2022 directed St Stephen's College to give 100 per cent weightage to the CUET 2022 score while granting admission to non-minority students in its undergraduate courses.

It had said the college has the authority to conduct interviews in addition to CUET for admitting students belonging to the minority Christian community but it cannot force non-minority candidates to additionally face an interview.

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