Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: The shockwaves triggered by the high cut-off percentages for admission in Delhi University (DU) colleges appear to have also stunned those who hold the power to make amends.
Shocked at the 100% cut-off for non-commerce aspirants at the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) for the B.Com (Honours) course, Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal termed the cut-off as “irrational” and directed the DU Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh to “make amends” at the earliest.
“100% cut-off is irrational. I request the Vice Chancellor to take note of it. I request the college to take note of it. There is only one student from the science stream who has got 100%. The idea seems to exclude everybody. This is a completely irrational way to look at education, as if a student who gets 97-98% marks in science can’t study commerce,” Sibal told reporters here.
Assuaging the concerns being raised by the students and their parents, Sibal assured that the government will ensure that amends are made at the earliest.
“I reach out to the students and parents. We will take care of this irrationality,” Sibal said, adding, “We are on their side.”
On the larger issue of bringing about change in country’s education system, Sibal said that the government is pushing for legislation that will address the matter in its entirety.
Arguing that the main issue with regards to the impossibly high marks needed to get into good colleges is that of a demand and supply mismatch, Sibal said that it is a systemic issue that needs to be addressed at all levels.
Vice Chancellor Singh, who was also present, chipped in with the argument that the most colleges don’t have impossible cut-off marks. “100% cut-off is only in one college. Four more cut-off lists will come, the first list is always cautious. We have enough seats.”
But he also agreed that 100% cut-off is irrational and that there is need to re-look the statutory rules governing the university and its colleges so as to ensure 100% cut-off is not repeated again.
Meanwhile, SRCC Principal, PC Jain, has defended the 100% cut-off adding that students can get in the second or the third list.
He also argued in favour of giving preference to a student with specialisation in a particular area. “India needs specialisation. A person who has greater efficiency in a specific area should be taken care of,” Jain said.
This year, Delhi University, one of India`s premier varsities, did away with the application process for admission to its undergraduate courses. So the colleges declared the cut-offs on the basis of last year`s marks.
Most of the colleges affixed very high cut-offs for various courses. Science courses have seen a rise of as much as 10 percent in the cut-off in some colleges.
Those students who meet the cut-off of the first list can take admission June 16-20. The university will declare the second list June 21. With a total of five lists this year, unlike four in the past, the admission process will continue till July 13.
Delhi University`s academic year begins on July 15.
