NEW DELHI: Sharply criticising a prestigious Delhi University college for declaring an unbelievable 100 per cent cut-off for a particular course, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday said it was sad that the cut-offs were “irrational” and “exclusionary”.
Mr. Sibal was referring to Shri Ram College of Commerce on the Delhi University North Campus which has declared a 96-100 per cent cut-off for admission to B.Com (Honours) in its first list. Delhi University's admission cut-offs for under-graduate courses, which were declared late on Tuesday evening, are at an all-time high.
“It is very sad that a college has declared a 100 per cent cut-off for applicants from a certain stream. I have heard that another college has declared a 99 per cent cut-off,” Mr. Sibal said at a press conference where Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dinesh Singh was also present.
Attributing the high cut-offs to “systemic and policy issues”, Mr. Sibal said: “Is a student with 97 or 98 per cent incapable of studying Commerce compared to a student with 100 per cent? Only one student in this entire list has 100 per cent marks in the Science stream and he may never take Commerce.”
The Minister criticised the treatment meted out to students on the basis of their academic background. “I ask the Vice-Chancellor and colleges to take note of the high cut-offs,” he said and asked the university and its colleges to fix rational cut-offs for admission.
Empathising with parents and students, the Minister added that “this irrationality” would be taken care of.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dinesh Singh said: “Cut-offs will fall in the four more lists which are still to come. The high cut-offs are owing to the excellent performance of students in the school leaving examinations. Last year, there were 200 Central Board of Secondary Education Class XII students with more than 95 per cent, this year there are 800. Also, colleges are being a little cautious in the first list to avoid being over-flooded by students.”
Terming the high cut-off an aberration, Prof. Singh said: “The colleges decide their individual cut-offs through their staff councils. We may have to take a look at this and alter the university statutes. The university is not for too much centralisation.”
When contacted, Shri Ram College of Commerce Principal Dr. P.C. Jain said: “The number of performing students has increased, but there is a dearth of centres of excellence. Hence students throng to the few existing institutions. Education, performance and competition has improved but the fault lies with the system which has not provided enough capacity.”
I am terrified: Omar
Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose two sons study in a Delhi school, is worried over the high cut-offs for admission to colleges in the national Capital, reports PTI.
“Worry? I'm terrified for my sons because in five years, when Zamir (my son) moves to college, the cut-offs will be even more insane,” Omar wrote on the micro-blogging site twitter.com
Expressing bemusement over the high cut-offs, Omar asked, “If 100 per cent is the minimum requirement to be considered for admission, are there kids coming with more than 100 out of 100?”
The Chief Minister said he was happy he finished college 20 years ago as the present cut-offs were “scary”.
“With these kinds of cut-off marks, I'd have been doing a correspondence course because I wouldn't have even gotten a ‘pass course' admission!” he said.
“Unfortunately,” he added, “it is a reflection of demand and supply. Wherever there is greater demand [for seats] than supply, the prices will go up. Likewise, wherever there is greater demand than supply, the cut-off will go up.”
“Shri Ram College of Commerce having a 100 per cent cut-off is to my mind ridiculous. But it is a reflection of the demand for those seats and unless we can create alternate infrastructure in education and quality infrastructure, we are going to see this,” he said.
On a lighter note, he said soon the cut-off might go beyond 100 per cent and urged the government to take necessary measures for development of the education infrastructure.
“The next step will be a cut-off of above 100 per cent. I hope that by looking at this the Government of India and particularly the Ministry of Human Resources and Development will focus on creation of quality education infrastructure in India. Otherwise I don't know how my kids will get education in college,” the Chief Minister added.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said: “In Planning Commission we read it exactly as the Chief Minister said. The most important is the need to increase the supply. How a college chooses the wards is up to the university whatever the regulations are. We need to increase supply.”
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