Nilarnav Kalita, a talented student from Assam who excelled in the recently held Central Universities Entrance Test (CUET) UG 2023-24, has taken his fight for admission to the prestigious University of Delhi to the Delhi High Court.
In a writ petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, Kalita challenged the rejection of his application for admission to Zakir Hussain College, a constituent college of the University of Delhi.
Kalita scored an impressive aggregate percentile of 95.61 in subjects including English, History, Political Science, and Sociology in the CUET UG 2023-24. He was allocated a seat in Zakir Hussain College, but his dreams were shattered when his application was subsequently rejected on the grounds of non-fulfilment of subject mapping criteria.
The petitioner contended that the rejection is in violation of the University's own rules, which stipulate that if the subject studied in Class XII is not a part of CUET, a subject similar or closest to the subject studied in Class XII will be considered. In this case, Kalita had Logic and Philosophy in Class XII, a subject not covered by CUET, and he opted for Sociology as the closest match. He argues that Sociology is directly related to Logic and Philosophy and should be considered as a valid option.
Furthermore, Kalita's representative highlighted that his subject combination, Logic and Philosophy and Sociology, is inherently intertwined, as sociology delves into human social behaviour, which is guided by ethics falling under social philosophy. He emphasizes that these subjects complement each other, providing a profound understanding of human behavior, social norms, morality, and the workings of the mind.
The petition drew parallels to a recent case (Ravindra Bishnoi through father Arjun Singh v National Testing Agency) where a similar situation was favorably addressed by the Hon'ble Court, directing the university to admit the petitioner in the next academic year.
Kalita's legal representative has raised crucial questions about the university's decision, including whether the rejection was justifiable when Kalita adhered to the rules and guidelines, and whether the university administration failed to recognize the deep-rooted relationship between Logic and Philosophy and Sociology.
As the case gains momentum in the Delhi High Court, educationists and legal experts are closely watching to see how the university's admission policies are scrutinized and if justice will be served to Nilarnav Kalita, who aspires to pursue his academic dreams at the University of Delhi.
