The Delhi High Court has directed Delhi University (DU) to admit an additional 301 students to its three-year LLB course. The order comes after a plea by a group of students alleging that the varsity and its Faculty of Law did not adhere to the high court’s direction to carry out admissions as per past practice.
A bench of acting Chief Justice Gita Mita and Justice C Hari Shankar ordered, “The respondent nos.3 and 4 (DU and Faculty of Law) are directed to ensure that 2,310 candidates are admitted to the LLB course and the supernumerary candidates (301) would be admitted over and above 2,310 candidates. It is made clear that in case supernumerary candidates have been admitted as part of the 2,310 candidates, the respondent nos.3 and 4 shall make the appropriate adjustments so as to ensure that 2,310 candidates are admitted and that the supernumerary candidates are adjusted over and above, and beyond this number of 2,310”.
In their application, the students who did not secure admission claimed that 2,611 seats, including 301 supernumerary ones for reserved category students, were available every year in the law course. The application filed through advocate Vivek Chib contended that this year, supernumerary seats were included in the 2,310 seats for which admissions were carried out.
The varsity and the faculty of law incorrectly told the court that under the past practice only 2,310 students were admitted to the law course every year. The court agreed with the petition and directed the DU and the law faculty to admit 301 supernumerary candidates over and above the 2,310 seats.
The order also stated that the August 31st cut-off date shall not come in the way of the candidates from being admitted to the LLB course. If the candidates admitted in accordance with the order are unable to complete their curriculum, the DU and the law faculty “shall ensure that they are given an opportunity to make good the deficient classes and course, if any”.
