Teachers, students of Delhi’s St Stephen’s College protest ‘admission interference’

As protesters wore black bands and raised slogans, a common demand at the protest was the rollback of the revised admission policies, which state that a governing body member nominated by the supreme council would oversee the admission process.

Teachers and students of St Stephen’s College protested outside the college premises on Friday, demanding that no non-academic members should intervene in the admission process.

New Delhi, India - July 6, 2015: A View of St.Stephen's College at Delhi University in New Delhi, India, on Monday, July 6, 2015. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/ Hindustan Times)(HT File Photo)

At least 60 protesters, including students and teachers from different colleges, joined members of the college staff association to protest against the administration’s decision to involve the institution’s Supreme Council in the admission process.

The supreme council comprises six members of the Church of North India (CNI).

As protesters wore black bands and raised slogans, a common demand at the protest was the rollback of the revised admission policies, which state that a governing body member nominated by the supreme council would oversee the admission process.

“The process of management interfering with the admission process can hamper the admission process,” said Steven Kunnath, a former student, who graduated from the college this year.

Despite many phone calls and text messages, neither the college principal nor the supreme council’s chairperson was available for a response. Earlier, Bishop Warris K Masih, chairperson of the supreme council and GB, said they stand by their decision because the council has “the power to address and oversee all matters..” and so a Governing Body member nominated by the council will “oversee” the admission process this year.

A group of Delhi University’s academic and executive council members have written to vice chancellor Yogesh Tyagi, urging him to look into the matter and take appropriate action.