NCR schooler cannot avail Delhi Quota for admission to DU: HC

Delhi students who passed their Class 12th examination from an NCR school cannot avail the benefit of ‘Delhi Quota’ reservation for admissions to colleges, Delhi High Court has said in a recently concluded hearing.

The Court has clarified that the Delhi Quota will be applicable on the basis of school (geographical location), not domicile of the student. The ruling of the HC came on a petition filed by a student who cleared his Higher Secondary (Class 12) from a school located in Gurugram but lives in the national capital. 

During the hearing, Justice Sanjeev Narula stated that the language of the relevant provision of the Delhi Diploma Level Technical Education Institutions (Prohibition of Capitation Fee, Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Non-Exploitive Fee and Other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence) Act is "clear and unambiguous". He also mentioned that the term "Delhi candidate" refers a student who cleared the Class 12 examination from a recognised school or institution in Delhi.

Even though the petition was dismissed, but it raised important points of domicile and school being a qualifying criteria for college admissions, be it or NEET admissions.

The Delhi HC even reasoned the dismissal of the petition by highlighting the point that the petitioner’s school in Gurugram, was not a branch of his earlier school in Delhi but a separate school, which was recognised by the Haryana Government. The school also falls under the jurisdiction of Haryana Education Department.

The petitioner actually attended school in the Delhi "branch" till the fifth grade, moved to the Gurugram "branch," and completed his high school education there. He is now seeking the benefit of reservation for college admission in Delhi.