Rapping the Delhi University for awarding the 2014 MA in sociology gold medal to a 4th rank holder, the Delhi High Court has directed it to rectify the “serious lapse” and award the gold medal to a former student who had secured the highest mark.
Justice Rekha Palli directed the varsity to immediately award the ‘Kunda Datar Gold Medal’ to Pratichi Majumdar, who had scored 999 out of 1,600 marks, highest in her batch.
The judge noted that DU, having failed to discharge its duties, a meritorious student like Ms. Majumdar cannot be deprived of the gold medal which she deserves.
Ms. Majumdar, was a student of Delhi School of Economics, DU who had passed out of the MA (Sociology) course from the Department of Sociology in August, 2014.
Results declared later
She contended that the result of the 2014 MA (Sociology) was initially declared on June 2, 2014, in which Ms. Sophia Zehra Abbas was declared to have secured 977 out of 1,600 marks.
The results of Ms. Majumdar and many other students were shown as ‘Result Later’. Subsequently, on August 6, 2014, the remaining list of students of the same batch was released, in which Ms. Majumdar was declared to have secured 999 out of 1,600 marks.
4th rank holder
As per the results, Ms. Majumdar scored the highest mark. But on February 23, 2015, the varsity circulated a Provisional Merit List which did not include Ms. Majumdar’s name. When the annual convocation of DU was held on May 30, 2015, the gold medal for MA (Sociology) was awarded to Ms. Abbas who was actually the 4th rank holder.
After her representations to the Deputy Controller of Examination and Vice-Chancellor of Delhi University fell upon deaf ears, Ms. Majumdar moved the High Court.
The judge rejected the varsity’s contention that she is not entitled to any relief as she has taken an inordinate time of eight months in approaching the court.
