'Cut-offs for OBC students high'

Colleges dont give 10 pc relaxation, defy HC order

Even when most Delhi University colleges have closed their admissions for sought-after Arts and Commerce courses in the ongoing undergraduate admissions, the Other Backward Class (OBC) category seats in various colleges are still open.

Activists and faculty members working for OBC students say a majority of colleges are flouting the Supreme Court order of August 18, 2011 on giving 10 per cent relaxation for OBC category students.

“The cut-off for OBC category students is 10 per cent less than the minimum cut-off under the general category. However, only a handful of colleges are following the order and a maximum number of colleges are giving anywhere between 4 to 7 per cent relaxation for OBC students, making the cut-offs high,” said Kedar Mandal, professor and president of Academic Forum of Social Justice.

The order stated that colleges should have a minimum eligibility criteria for general category students and 10 per cent relaxation should be given depending on that.

“This order came last year. Colleges had enough time to figure out how they should come out with a minimum eligibility criteria. In its absence, every college is coming out with its own cut-offs for OBC category students,” added Mandal.

Admissions under the general category in all subjects except Sanskrit (H) in Daulat Ram College for Women have been closed, though admissions are still open for OBC category students in the fourth cut-off list.

The cut-offs for its courses are between 40 and 87 per cent.

In Hans Raj College, apart from BA and Hindi (H), seats have been filled in general as well as OBC categories. All remaining courses have seats open for OBC students. The cut-offs are between 50 and 93.25 per cent.

Hindu College has OBC seats open for History (H), Economics (H), Philosophy (H) and BCom (H) with cut-offs between 72.50 and 94.50 in its various courses. Admissions under general category seats are closed in all courses except Economics (H).

Admissions under the general category in sought-after courses in Kirori Mal College, such as BA and BCom, have been closed but OBC seats are lying vacant. The cut-offs are between 79.79 and 89.99 per cent in these courses.

In Ramjas College, apart from BA, Political Science (H) and English (H), admissions are open to other Arts and Commerce courses for OBC students. For general category, the college has 94.50 to 96.50 per cent in its BCom course and has given 7 per cent relaxation for OBC students.

Similarly, in BCom (H), general category cut-offs are between 95.50 and 97.50 per cent, for which a 5.25 per cent relaxation is being provided to OBC students.

Shri Ram College of Commerce, of its two courses available, has seats open for Economics (H) in OBC category with a cut-off of 92.50 to 93.50 per cent.

In South Campus, Shri Venkateshwara College has OBC seats available in all its Arts and Commerce courses. Gargi College has seats left in BA, Political Science (H) and BCom.

In off-campus colleges, a similar trend is seen. Compared to Arts and Commerce seats available in OBC category, most Science courses seats in the same category are full.

A senior DU official said all attempts are being made to fill OBC seats.

“Even if we have to come out with more cut-off lists for OBC students, all seats reserved for them will be filled,” he said.

According to students, the rush for admissions to Delhi University this year was quite intense, as is every year. However, students did get help from DU authorities in going about filing up forms and in other necessary activities, though a lot of students also said they were left without any help.