Colleges in a fix over five add-on seats

Colleges in a fix over five add-on seats

DU Yet To Issue Directions

Mohammad.Ibrar@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:28.12.2020

Following the controversial Delhi University notification of December 21regarding the addition of five new seats to courses this year, no new directions have been issued to colleges yet, even as admissions for 2020 end on December 31.

The notification signed by the registrar stated that college principals will be allowed to admit five students over and above the allotted number of seats, out of which the university may suggest two names. These five applicants would get 10% relaxation on the cutoff. This, DU claimed, was due to the Covid-19 pandemic and on the request of principals While most are waiting for directions, some colleges have forwarded the DU notice to their governing bodies, stating that principals do not have the right to take such decisions. Others have questioned the need for this notification at all.

A principal, on the condition of anonymity, dismissed the varsity’s claims. “Using Covid-19 as a crutch to conduct an activity similar to management quotas of private colleges is utterly shameful,” they said.

Principals say that most of them are unaware how the process will take place. “The university could have routed it through the Academic Council and the Executive Council, or at least from the admission committee,” said Manoj Khanna, principal of Ramjas College.

Suman Sharma, principal of Lady Shri Ram College said that no decision has been taken on this so far.

“We have no clarity on how to go about it as we have no directions,” said Kamala Nehru College principal Kalpana Bhakuni. “We also have to think about its implications.”

Principal Babri Moitra Saraf of IP College for Women said that the notification is unusual and is not supported by any ordinance or resolution. “I have forwarded it to my college GB for implementation as I don’t think the principal is empowered to select students for admission,” she said.

Saraf added that as she attended the last EC meeting in December as a member and there was no discussion on the topic. “We do not know which principals requested the notification,” she further said.

Speaking to TOI, DU’s dean of college Balram Pani was unsure of when directives would be issued. “The directions will go through the registrar. There was a meeting on the issue by the admission committee recently. We will get clarity by Monday.”