Delhi High Court Orders St. Stephen’s College to Admit Students as per Delhi University Allocation

The Delhi High Court has directed St. Stephen’s College to admit seven students according to the seat allocation by Delhi University. Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma stated that since the university’s seat allocation calculation had not been invalidated, St. Stephen’s College must admit the petitioning students according to the allocation policy used in the previous academic year.

The college was directed to ensure the students could attend classes after completing any required formalities. The High Court’s verdict involved two separate petitions filed by the seven students challenging the admission process at St. Stephen’s College. The court’s decision was to mandate that the college adhere to the seat allocation determined by Delhi University and admit the students accordingly.

The petitioners argued that although they had been allocated seats by Delhi University for different courses at St. Stephen’s College, their admissions were not finalized within the specified timeframe. The university supported the students’ petitions, but St. Stephen’s College opposed them. St. Stephen’s College contested Delhi University’s position, arguing it was not obligated to admit all candidates allocated seats through the university’s common seat allocation system, citing a limit on the number of students it could admit.

The single-judge bench initially granted provisional admission to six students, noting they had met all requirements and were left in uncertainty despite their merit. However, the college appealed this decision, leading the division bench to bar these students from attending classes until the main petition was resolved. A seventh student later joined the case, with all petitioners seeking admission under Delhi University’s ‘single girl child quota.’