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Restraint on Symbiosis and Delhi universities

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Symbiosis International University and the Delhi University from admitting students under the 27 per cent quota for OBCs.

While Symbiosis sought to implement the quota law by providing seven per cent reservation to OBC students this year, the Delhi University sought details from applicants whether they belonged to the OBC or not, though no admission was made.

A Bench of Justice B.N. Agrawal and Justice P.P. Naolekar stayed the admissions after it was brought to the notice of the court by senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan and M.L. Lahoty that despite the March 29 stay order, Symbiosis had admitted students under the quota law and the Delhi University was in the process of admitting the OBC students as it already sought details.

The Bench issued notice to the two universities.

The petitioners, Ankit Kumar and Shashank Shekar of Delhi and Youth for Equality, Delhi University Chapter, said the action of Symbiosis, a deemed university, would make redundant an order of the apex court which, while staying the operation of the Central Education Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, 2006, upheld their contention that the state “which has the sole authority and power to determine who are socially and educationally backward classes has no relevant data and has conducted no surveys which can form the current basis for identification of socially and educationally backward classes for conferment of any privilege on any individual.”

They said the Delhi University had also sought details in the application form whether the applicants belonged to the OBC with a view to providing them admission under the OBC quota.

They sought a direction to quash any such admission and an interim stay if any admission was already made.

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