DTF, SFI delegation meets VC

New Delhi, June 13 (UNI) Ahead of the announcement of Delhi University's first cut off list, a four-member delegation of DTF and SFI members has met Vice-Chancellor Deepak Pental and discussed various issues, including arbitrary policy over cut-off marks for OBC candidates and post-matriculation scholarship for SC students.

''The discussion was regarding important issues that the students of the university are facing today... these assume special importance in the wake of the new admissions for the year 2008-09,'' DTF president and delegation member Shaswati Mazumdar said.

The delegation also raised the issue of fee-hikes in colleges and undergraduate hostels and admissions to the MPhil/PhD programme.

MS Mazumdar said the delegation urged for implementation of the post-matriculation scholarship for SC students under the special scheme of the Social Welfare Ministry.

''Under this scheme, every SC student whose parental income is less than Rs 1 lakh per annum is eligible for a full fee waiver for admissions to courses at the post-matriculation level. The University, however, has not been implementing this scheme at this moment,'' she added.

About the cut-off marks for OBC students, she said the University has arbitrarily decided to fix slab at 10 per cent less than what is fixed for the general admissions.

''We were told in the meeting that this was an independent decision of the university and not a guideline of the HRD. We believe that the Supreme Court judgement does not set any such criteria for implementation of the OBC reservation,'' she added.

''This step could lead to non-fulfillment of the 27 per cent OBC seats even when it is now a statutory provision... We have registered a strong protest against this move but the VC remained non-committal on this issue,'' she said.

The delegation members said the Vice Chancellor had assured them to look into their demands.

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