Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College in the North Campus on Tuesday became the second college in the Delhi University, after Maharaja Agrasen, to fall prey to the problem of over-inclusion of students for its various courses due to a low cut-off percentage which attracted students and parents alike in droves. But with the college later panicking and then shutting down its admissions this morning, angry parents and students, accompanied by some Delhi University Students Union members, protested vehemently against the move.
The second cut-off list usually soothes the racking nerves of students who miss out on securing admission in the first list. But for many students confident of grabbing a seat in Khalsa, after it lowered its cut-offs, it turned out to be a huge setback. Tumult and heated arguments were witnessed throughout the college even after 1 p.m. as eligible students were refused admissions on frivolous grounds.
“Eligible students qualifying for courses like Political Science, B. Tech, Computer Science, through the second cut-off have been refused admissions in the college. They are being turned down on the excuse of seats being filled up. But this is blatant violation of the University rules,” said a harried Ravi Rajput, one of the volunteers at the Help Desk of Khalsa.
“The Principal came and spoke with the students and parents, but a fruitful decision did not come out of it,” put in Ravi, highlighting the tension on the college campus.
Kriti, a resident of Delhi who was accompanied by her mother, seemed to be caught amidst this brawl. Despite qualifying for B. Tech. in the college, she was denied admission. “They have only 30 seats for B. Tech. here, 100 students have been taken, but today they are being completely obtuse and refusing admissions without a proper reason. They are making a mockery of the stature of the university they are affiliated to. It’s a shame,” claimed her mother fumingly.
Irate and heart-broken parents claimed the authorities were turning them away saying “the college was not even good enough for B. Tech and you should go seek admission in IP (Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University),” claimed a distraught parent.
The angry mob was taken to the Conference Centre where a meeting with the Dean of Students’ Welfare was held. The outcome of the situation has been positive.
“All the students who were refused admission today, in spite of being qualified for the course, have been accepted in the college. The meeting with the Dean acted like a balm on the anger of the agitated students and their parents,” said Prakash Upadhyay, a former student of Khalsa and one of the organisers of the peace talk with the Dean.
Dean of Students’ Welfare J M Khurana maintained that the situation was under control. “As per our norms, no college can deny an eligible student for its course. The same has been addressed to the principal of Khalsa College with regards to the problem of admission there today.”
With the problem recurring for the second time in a span of two days, the Dean added, “we generally advise the colleges to take their cut-offs cautiously to combat this very problem. Such a problem has hardly ever occured. But I feel, since B.Tech. and Computer Science courses are new additions this year, the colleges were not sure of the cut-off, and hence this situation has stirred up.”
