The Delhi High Court has directed colleges of Delhi University to reserve 5% seats for sports and extracurricular activities. This quota is mentioned in the information bulletin and will be mandatory for all colleges.
Delhi University: The Delhi High Court has ordered all colleges affiliated with Delhi University (DU) to reserve at least 5% of seats for sports and extracurricular activities (ECA) in the admission process. This order came after a petition filed by a national-level gold medalist in CBSE Lawn Tennis. The court clarified that this quota, mentioned in DU's information bulletin, is mandatory and all colleges must adhere to it.
Petitioner and the Case
The case was filed on behalf of minor Aditi Rawat, represented by her mother Anita Rawat. Aditi Rawat was seeking admission under the sports quota in Hindu College for the academic year 2025-26. Her lawyer argued that according to DU's admission policy, it is mandatory for each college to reserve 5% of the total seats for ECA and sports.
Hindu College opposed this argument, stating that the quota mentioned in DU's information bulletin was not mandatory. The college also claimed in court that out of their sanctioned 956 seats, only 10-10 seats were allocated for ECA and sports quotas, whereas the required number was 47 seats.
Delhi University's Affidavit
In an affidavit submitted to the court, Delhi University confirmed that colleges are obligated to reserve 5% of their sanctioned admissions for ECA and sports quotas. Justice Vikas Mahajan stated that the university's affidavit is clear and leaves no ambiguity. The quota is fully mandatory.
However, the court also clarified that since the centralized process for admissions under the sports supernumerary quota for the academic session had already concluded, the petitioner could not be granted immediate relief. Aditi Rawat had already secured admission under the sports quota in Lady Shri Ram College.
Directions to Ensure Future Compliance
The court directed DU to ensure compliance with this 5% ECA and sports quota in the future. DU's lawyer supported this, and the court expressed hope that all colleges would strictly adhere to it from now on. Justice Mahajan stated that adherence to the rules mentioned in the information bulletin would be mandatory for all colleges, and no college could violate it.
Public Notice and Admission Process
During the proceedings, it was also revealed that DU had issued a public notice for spot admissions. However, the court clarified that this notice only applied to regular sanctioned seats, not to the supernumerary sports and ECA quotas.
The court's order stated that the petition was disposed of with this direction. This decision is significant not only for Aditi Rawat but for all students of DU, as it ensures that adequate representation for sports and extracurricular activities will always be maintained.
