Delhi High Court slams DU for personal grouse with St. Stephen’s, playing with students' lives

The Delhi High Court Monday censured the Delhi University (DU) for failing to confirm the admissions of certain students to the post graduate (PG) courses at St. Stephen’s College [St. Stephan College Vs.  Vikash Gupta And Ors].

Justice Dharmesh Sharma directed the Registrar and Dean Admissions of the DU to appear before the Court on October 15 via video conference and explain why they should not be punished under the law.

"This Court finds that the respondents are guilty of committing wilful disobedience in the nature deliberately stalling the implementation of the directions of this Court," the Court said.

In a strong indictment of the DU authorities, the Court also opined that the varsity officials were settling their personal grouse with the college management at the cost of students' lives.

"Hence, unhesitatingly, this Court is of the opinion that the concerned officials of the respondent DU while settling their personal grouses with the management of the petitioner-college, are in virtually playing with the life of the students, which action or deliberate omission is neither acceptable nor sustainable in law. The respondents are miserably failing to show cause as to what steps they have taken so far to facilitate the admission of the selected students by the petitioner-college in getting admission in PG courses."

The Court was hearing a contempt plea moved by the college over alleged non-compliance with the directions passed by a single-judge in relation to seat allocation in PG courses.

The college alleged that a significantly lower number of PG seats have been allotted to it in comparison to the other colleges.

It was also submitted that the list of candidates belonging to the minority Christian community has not been considered by the DU and they have not been given admission in various PG courses.

The Court found that the college in July had sent the list of selected students to DU and thereafter made repeated communications for admitting them to the PG courses.

"Evidently, two months have passed by and the sessions for various PG courses have already commenced, thereby putting the students at risk for not meeting the UGC teaching days requirement," it observed.

There has been stoic silence on the part of the respondents since the time list of the selected candidates was furnished to them, the Court added as it noted that fate of five students was hanging in balance.

It also agreed that that despite directions of the High Court, the allocation of seats in PG courses at St. Stephen's has been reduced as compared to the previous years.

"Evidently, DU is yet to formulate any policy or guidelines to govern allocation/allotment of seats in PG courses amongst various colleges," it noted further.

The Court further observed that that the inordinate delay would cause irreparable harm to the selected students.

"It is disappointing to see academics of repute displaying such insensitivity," it added.

Senior Advocate Romy Chacko,with advocates Kartik Verma, Ashwin Romy, Akshat Singh and Joe Sebastin appeared for St. Stephen's College.

Advocates Mohinder JS Rupal, Hardik Rupal and Aishwarya Malhotra appeared for DU.

[Read Judgment]