The Supreme Court, on Monday, turned down the Delhi University and University Grant Commission’s (UGC) petitions against the St Stephen's College minority admission policy of 85-15 formula. DU challenged the policy adopted by the college for minority applicants, in which the university's Common University Entrance Test (CUET) contributes 85 percent to the overall score considered at the time of admission and the remaining 15 percent on the basis of performance in the interview.
The Supreme Court refused to interfere with a Delhi high court’s interim order allowing St Stephen’s college to conduct interview for the 50 percent minority quota seats. The apex court said that any order passed at this stage would be "too late" and result in "uncertainty" among students.
Supreme Court Order
The High Court order passed on July 21 was challenged in the Supreme Court in two separate petitions filed by Delhi University and the UGC. Dismissing the two petitions, the bench comprising Justices AS Bopanna and PS Narasimha said, “Considering that the order passed is an interim order and the High Court has made the admission subject to the final outcome of the writ petition, we find it unnecessary to interfere at this level."
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High Court Order
This is the second year that the High Court has allowed the college to fill 50 percent Christian quota seats by giving 15 percent weightage to the interview. The college had approached the High Court challenging the December 30 notification issued by DU, which had directed all admissions under minority quota to be filled on the basis of CUET scores only.
The Supreme Court order further told the High Court, "Considering that there must be certainty in the matter, we request the High Court to decide (the petition) at the earliest."
