Who is eligible for 85% admission quota in Delhi govt-run technical education institutes?
The question of who counts as a “Delhi student” to avail of the 85% reservation in Delhi government-run technical education institutes recently came into question in a Delhi High Court case. As students navigate this admission season, The Indian Express explains who this provision applies to:
What does the relevant Act say?
Admissions in Delhi government-run technical education institutes are governed by the Delhi Diploma Level Technical Education Institutions (Prohibition of Capitation Fee, Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Non-Exploitative Fee and other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence) Act, 2007.
Section 12(1)(b) of this Act states that, except for management seats, 85% of the total seats are to be allocated for “Delhi students” and the remaining 15% seats for the “outside Delhi students or such other allocation as the government may by notification in the official gazette direct”.
The term “Delhi candidate” is defined in Section 3(g) of the Act as “a candidate who has appeared or passed the qualifying examination from a recognized school or institution situated in Delhi”.
Why was this challenged in court?
A Delhi resident who passed Class 12 from a Gurgaon school had made a plea that Delhi residents who have passed their qualifying examination within the National Capital Region should not be denied the benefit of reservation.
The petition argued that the NCR is a unique example of inter-state regional planning and development covering districts in Delhi, Haryana, UP and Rajasthan and that it is a common practice that residents work or attend schools in Gurgaon. It also contended that while the rules disqualified a Delhi resident if they have passed the qualifying examination from outside the national capital, if a resident of any other state secures his certificate of qualifying examination from a school in Delhi, he or she becomes fully eligible to Avail the benefits under the 2007 Act.
What did the court say?
The Delhi High Court rejected the plea. In his ruling, Justice Sanjeev Narula said, “The determining factor to avail the benefit is the geographical location of the school providing the pass certificate of the qualifying examination, as opposed to the domicile of the student”.
Which educational institutes come under the Act’s purview?
It applies to the diploma-level technical education institutions affiliated to the Board of Technical Education who impart technical education in engineering & technology, pharmacy, paramedical and other non-engineering courses.
Which other institutes reserve 85% of their seats for Delhi students?
All Delhi government-run higher education institutes including BR Ambedkar University Delhi, IP University, Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University and Delhi Technological University. However, Ambedkar University had in the past clarified that “a candidate passing the qualifying examination from a recognized school/college/institute located within the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to be considered for Delhi region (85%)”.
.