Delhi HC directs DU colleges to reserve 5% of seats under sports quota

The direction was issued by justice Vikas Mahajan last week, on a petition filed by one Aditi Rawat, seeking directions to the Hindu College to allocate a seat to her under the sports quota for lawn tennis

The Delhi High Court directed all colleges affiliated with Delhi University to allocate 5% of their seats for the sports quota for future admissions, from the 2026-27 academic session, terming the reservation mandatory.

The Delhi High Court directed all colleges affiliated with Delhi University to allocate 5% of their seats for the sports quota for future admissions, from the 2026-27 academic session, terming the reservation mandatory. (HT)

The direction was issued by justice Vikas Mahajan last week, on a petition filed by one Aditi Rawat, seeking directions to the Hindu College to allocate a seat to her under the sports quota for lawn tennis, for the academic year 2025-26. The order was delivered on August 25, but was released on Saturday.

In her petition, Rawat’s counsel contended that although the admission brochure for undergraduate programmes required colleges to reserve 5% of sanctioned seats for the extra-curricular activities (ECA) quota, Hindu College had reserved only about 1%, with just 10 seats allotted for ECA and Sports, instead of the mandated 47 out of a total sanctioned strength of 956.

The college contested the petition, stating that the brochure did not make it obligatory for them to reserve seats under the quota.

Even though the varsity’s counsel, Rupal Mohinder, asserted that it was mandatory for affiliated colleges to adhere to the brochure, he submitted that the petition had become infructuous as the admissions for the relevant seats had already been completed.

Taking note of this fact, Rawat’s lawyer agreed not to press for the petition but requested the court to direct all the colleges to comply with the 5% mandate in the future.

Accordingly, the court, while disposing of the petition, said, “...regard to the above, it is hoped that the colleges of the University of Delhi be careful in future in following the mandate with regard to the seats under ECA/Sports Admission, which as per the Information Bulletin of the Academic Session 2025-26, was mandatory.”