DU gives students 14 days to submit fresh OBC certificates

New Delhi: The Delhi University (DU) on Tuesday allowed candidates seeking admission under the other backward class (OBC) and economically weaker section (EWS) categories

New Delhi: The Delhi University (DU) on Tuesday allowed candidates seeking admission under the other backward class (OBC) and economically weaker section (EWS) categories to enrol with certificates issued before March 31, 2020, and asked them to submit new certificates attesting to their eligibility within 14 days of admission.

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Several students and a section of teachers had raised concerns over colleges not accepting older OBC and EWS certificates issued. According to DU admission rules, students are required to submit certificates issued on or after March 31 in the year of admission. This year, however, owing to the Covid-enforced lockdown many students could not get new certificates issued.

In an email sent to all colleges on Tuesday, the DU admission branch said it was brought to their notice that the nodal officers in some colleges were insisting on the latest EWS/OBC certificate. The admission branch has directed the colleges to allow students to take admissions by submitting the self-attested copy of the acknowledgement slip and undertaking of ensuring the production of the certificate within the stipulated period mentioned in the undertaking.

In the undertaking, students have been asked to provide details of their application for the new certificate. “I undertake that, my admission against reserved seat is subject to the submission of valid OBC (Non-Creamy Layer Validity) / EWS Income and Asset Certificate authentication for the the assessment year 2019-20 within the given time limit of 14 days from the date of admission subject to the last day of the admission,” it reads.

In case the students fail to submit the required certificate/documents within the given time limit, they will not be able to claim admission against the reserved seat. “I also state that I am aware of the fact that my admission is subject to the validation of my original certificates, otherwise my admission is liable to be cancelled,” the undertaking added.

Students have welcomed the decision. Hritik, a resident of Dwarka who is seeking admission in BA (Hons) in Sanskrit, said he could not apply for a new OBC certificate issued earlier due to the prevailing situation. “Last month, I visited the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) office and was told to apply online. My certificate is yet to be issued. I am glad that the university has given us some more time to get a new certificate,” he said.