Delhi HC allows Khalsa college to start admission process under minority

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Delhi University's Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College to commence its admission process under the minority status granted to the college in 2011.

Justice G.S. Sistani also said that fresh appointments of teachers in Khalsa college will be subject to the final outcome of the writ petition.

The court was hearing plea of some teachers, who have challenged the order of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, which granted minority status to the college, on the ground that it would affect the interests of SC/ST students.

The college was granted minority status in 2011 and this was challenged by the teachers as well as Delhi University on whose plea a stay was granted by the high court in 2012, according to the petition filed by the teachers.

As per the plea, DU had withdrawn its petition in July last year, saying it had no objection to the minority status granted to the college.

Last July, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) had assured the court that the admission and appointments of teachers would "continue in the old system" which allows for general admissions and quotas for SC/ST/OBCs. The teachers, however, alleged that the "minority tag" will adversely affect SC/ST/OBC students.

However, on April 18 this year, the DSGMC said that since DU and the government had accepted the minority status, it would not continue the interim arrangement and will not be bound by the provisions of the SC/ST Reservation Act.

The teachers again filed a plea seeking a stay on the order. The High Court on Friday had allowed the college management to "start counselling but not admissions" till the next hearing on June 20.