With admissions under the Sports and Extra-Curricular Activity (ECA) quota in Hindu and Satyawati colleges for 2010-11 running into rough weather following complaints of irregularities,the Delhi High Court has stepped in to ensure that no seats go waste and there is transparency in the process from the coming academic session. In an order that will centralise the selection process,Justice Hima Kohli has directed DU to frame comprehensive guidelines for the admission of students under the sports and ECA quota from 2012-13 and make it applicable to all colleges affiliated to it. The court,dissatisfied with the universitys progress in laying down fresh guidelines despite the fiasco in two colleges,was of the view that any more delay would not be in the interest of the students. The university should expedite the process of framing of guidelines to be followed by the colleges affiliated to the university for filling up of seats under the Sports/ECA category, directed Justice Kohli,adding it was deemed expedient to direct the university to ensure that the guidelines are in place well before the commencement of the coming academic session,2012-13 and they are given effect to by all colleges for filling up seats under the Sports/ECA category. Sending a copy of the judgment to Vice-Chancellor Dinesh Singh for perusal and compliance,the court said the new admission process must be made completely transparent and untainted by any irregularity or and by ruling out the eventuality of any arbitrariness on the part of the colleges. The checks,as per the court,were required because in todays day and time,there is a cut-throat competition between students,with each one vying for every precious seat,which have become almost unobtainable due to the high academic standards set by colleges for admissions. Justice Kohli passed the directive on a petition by one Aridman Singh,who had sought orders to the Hindu College and DU to give him admission to BA (Programme) course under the sports quota. He had alternatively pleaded that the college be directed to conduct fresh sports trials for admissions in the undergraduate course. The petitioner had highlighted that even though he was selected under the sports quota after a trial in June 2011,he could not get admission since the college suspended all admissions in the wake of allegations of irregularities committed by the sports admission committee. During the hearing,Hindu College Principal V K Srivastava appeared before the court and said in accordance with the requirement of reserving 5 per cent seats in each course for students under the quota,Hindu College had 37 such seats. The admission process was suspended because of the alleged discrepancies and an inquiry committee was looking into the allegations,the principal had told the court. However,after a court order in September,a re-trial for the ECA quota was conducted and nine students were admitted. The remaining 28 seats in the said category were also filled up from the surplus students who had applied to the college for admission, the colleges affidavit stated. Following the arguments,Justice Kohli refused to provide any relief to Singh as he had moved the court very late,in October 18 last year. The judge,however,also described it as very disappointing that the students who had been successful in the trials held for the sports category were left in the lurch on account of the delayed action on part of DU and Hindu College.
