Two-thirds of DU seats for disabled remain unfilled

Still varsity says no to late admissions

While two-thirds of   seats reserved for the physically handicapped still lie vacant in Delhi University’s undergraduate colleges, officials have said that no late admissions will be allowed in this category.

Only students who registered themselves while the submission of forms was on – and the official in-charge had certified that there was a valid reason for admitting them late – will be allowed to do.

This was made clear by Vipin Tiwari, deputy dean of students’ welfare, who is in-charge of admissions in the physically handicapped (PH) category.

But a PH category student said late admissions were allowed in previous years though there was no formal announcement or notification about it.

“Sometimes, for many students from this category the problem is that there is
nobody to bring them to the University. By the time they figure this out, they miss the admission dates,” said Kapil, a physically handicapped PhD student.

Three years back Kapil had helped a student get late admission in English (Honours) in Ramjas College.

“There are other reasons too. Students get to know about the admissions late, there are problems with the marksheet. Late admissions usually take place for PH category students,” he said.

Students say there are six to eight cases of late admissions every year. They are usually accommodated in colleges which still have seats available.

“These students have to specially meet the dean of students’ welfare, who used to allot them seats. When seats are vacant, why would anybody deny admission?” added Kapil.

According to an official from the DSW's office, discussions are still on regarding late admissions.

Some officials have been arguing that colleges should allow late admissions for disabled students without issuing a notification  as making a formal announcement  would lead to similar demands from students in other reserved categories. But others in DU are insisting on coming out with a notification first, the official said.

This year 509 PH admission forms were submitted, when DU has 1,620 seats in this category. Three percent of the total seats in every college and course is reserved for PH category students.