<p>The US Supreme Court on Friday declined to block the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the prestigious Army school, from considering race as a factor in admissions decisions while a legal battle over the practice proceeds in lower courts.<br />
The justices denied a request from Students for Fair Admissions, a group founded by affirmative action opponent Edward Blum, after lower courts refused to halt the practice.</p>

<p>The group was behind a successful Supreme Court challenge to race-conscious collegiate admissions policies in cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.</p>

<p>No justice publicly dissented from the court's brief order.</p>

<p>"The record before this court is underdeveloped, and this order should not be construed as expressing any view on the merits of the constitutional question," the decision stated.</p>

<p>The lawsuit said West Point's admissions practices discriminated against white applicants and violated the U.S. Constitution's principle of equal protection.</p>

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<p>West Point, located in New York state, educates cadets for commissioning into the U.S. Army, counting among its graduates former U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant and current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.</p>

<p>Students for Fair Admissions, a Virginia-based nonprofit, had asked the Supreme Court to decide the request by the academy's application deadline for the class of 2028, which was on Wednesday.</p>

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<p>The US Justice Department told the Supreme court in a filing that it strengthens U.S. national security to have a more diverse corps of officers, many of whom begin their Army careers at West Point. West Point graduates comprise roughly one in five Army officers, one in three generals and nearly half of current four-star generals, the department said.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>'More legitimate'</strong></h2>

<p>"Diversity, including racial and ethnic diversity, makes a more effective fighting force - more cohesive and lethal, better able to attract and retain top talent, and more legitimate in the eyes of the nation and the world," the department said in its brief.</p>

<section>
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<p>Many US colleges and universities, including the nation's military service academies, used affirmative action policies that considered race as one of numerous factors in admissions to increase their enrollment of Black, Hispanic and certain other minority students.</p>
</section>

<p>"It is disappointing that the young men and women who apply to West Point for the foreseeable future will have their race used as a factor to admit or reject them," Blum, who for years has pursued lawsuits challenging affirmative action policies, said of Friday's decision.</p>

<p>West Point and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.<br />
U.S. District Judge Philip Halpern in White Plains, New York, rejected a request by Blum's group for a preliminary injunction on Jan. 3 and rebuffed its request for an emergency injunction the next day. The group appealed Halpern's decisions to the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which denied the group's emergency request on Monday.</p>

<p>The merits of the case are still being contested before Halpern, who has issued a preliminary finding in favor of West Point but not a final decision.</p>

<p>Blum's group sued last September, challenging West Point's admissions process on behalf of two Students for Fair Admissions members - a high school student applying for the first time and a first-year college student applying for the second time. Both of the male students, whose names were withheld due to what they said was a fear of reprisal by West Point, "are fully qualified but white," the group said.</p>

<p>In invalidating admissions policies at Harvard and UNC last year as a violation of the Constitution's equal protection protections, the Supreme Court did not address race in admissions at military academies.<br />
President Joe Biden's administration, in defending the race-conscious admissions policies used by the military service academies, said that senior military leaders long have recognized that a scarcity of minority officers can create distrust within the armed forces.</p>

<p>"The Army learned that lesson the hard way when decades of unaddressed racial tension and disparities fundamentally threatened the military's ability to protect national security during the Vietnam (war) era," the Justice Department wrote in its brief, noting that the Army was "plagued by accusations that white officers were using minority servicemembers as 'cannon fodder.'"</p>

<p>The other military service academies, opens new tab are: the Naval Academy in Maryland, the Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut and the Merchant Marine Academy in New York.</p>

<p>Students for Fair Admissions has also sued the Naval Academy over its race-conscious admissions policy. A federal judge in Maryland has scheduled the case to go trial in September.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The US Supreme Court on Friday declined to block the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the prestigious Army school, from considering race as a factor in admissions decisions while a legal battle over the practice proceeds in lower courts.

The US Supreme Court on Friday declined to block the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the prestigious Army school, from considering race as a factor in admissions decisions while a legal battle over the practice proceeds in lower courts. The justices denied a request from Students for Fair Admissions, a group founded by affirmative action opponent Edward Blum, after lower courts refused to halt the practice. The group was behind a successful Supreme Court challenge to race-conscious collegiate admissions policies in cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. No justice publicly dissented from the court's brief order. "The record before this court is underdeveloped, and this order should not be construed as expressing any view on the merits of the constitutional question," the decision stated. The lawsuit said West Point's admissions practices discriminated against white applicants and violated the U.S. Constitution's principle of equal protection. Also Read | Judge postpones election interference trial against Donald Trump West Point, located in New York state, educates cadets for commissioning into the U.S. Army, counting among its graduates former U.S. Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Ulysses Grant and current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Students for Fair Admissions, a Virginia-based nonprofit, had asked the Supreme Court to decide the request by the academy's application deadline for the class of 2028, which was on Wednesday. Also Read | Iraq says US airstrikes a breach of 'sovereignty', warns of 'drastic consequences' The US Justice Department told the Supreme court in a filing that it strengthens U.S. national security to have a more diverse corps of officers, many of whom begin their Army careers at West Point. West Point graduates comprise roughly one in five Army officers, one in three generals and nearly half of current four-star generals, the department said. 'More legitimate' "Diversity, including racial and ethnic diversity, makes a more effective fighting force - more cohesive and lethal, better able to attract and retain top talent, and more legitimate in the eyes of the nation and the world," the department said in its brief. Watch | France: Farmer protests called off after French government announces concessions × Many US colleges and universities, including the nation's military service academies, used affirmative action policies that considered race as one of numerous factors in admissions to increase their enrollment of Black, Hispanic and certain other minority students. "It is disappointing that the young men and women who apply to West Point for the foreseeable future will have their race used as a factor to admit or reject them," Blum, who for years has pursued lawsuits challenging affirmative action policies, said of Friday's decision. West Point and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. U.S. District Judge Philip Halpern in White Plains, New York, rejected a request by Blum's group for a preliminary injunction on Jan. 3 and rebuffed its request for an emergency injunction the next day. The group appealed Halpern's decisions to the New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which denied the group's emergency request on Monday. The merits of the case are still being contested before Halpern, who has issued a preliminary finding in favor of West Point but not a final decision. Blum's group sued last September, challenging West Point's admissions process on behalf of two Students for Fair Admissions members - a high school student applying for the first time and a first-year college student applying for the second time. Both of the male students, whose names were withheld due to what they said was a fear of reprisal by West Point, "are fully qualified but white," the group said. In invalidating admissions policies at Harvard and UNC last year as a violation of the Constitution's equal protection protections, the Supreme Court did not address race in admissions at military academies. President Joe Biden's administration, in defending the race-conscious admissions policies used by the military service academies, said that senior military leaders long have recognized that a scarcity of minority officers can create distrust within the armed forces. "The Army learned that lesson the hard way when decades of unaddressed racial tension and disparities fundamentally threatened the military's ability to protect national security during the Vietnam (war) era," the Justice Department wrote in its brief, noting that the Army was "plagued by accusations that white officers were using minority servicemembers as 'cannon fodder.'" The other military service academies, opens new tab are: the Naval Academy in Maryland, the Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut and the Merchant Marine Academy in New York. Students for Fair Admissions has also sued the Naval Academy over its race-conscious admissions policy. A federal judge in Maryland has scheduled the case to go trial in September.

US Supreme Court allows West Point military academy to continue considering race in admissions

<p>In the Indian state of West Bengal, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College in the capital Kolkata, has told undergraduate students to sign an undertaking declaring that they would refrain from wearing torn or artificially torn jeans to the institution. Similarly, the parents or guardians of the students have also been requested to sign a similar affidavit.</p>

<p>The undertaking that the students have to sign reads - "Having been admitted to Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College I will never enter inside college premises wearing torn/artificially torn jeans or any kind of indecent dresses. I do hereby affirm that I shall wear normal civil dresses during my study period inside the entire college premises.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read|&nbsp;Moving beyond symbolism?: Opposition alliance INDIA to hold two-day meeting in Mumbai</strong></p>

<p>The prohibition on students and staff wearing indecent clothes, like torn jeans is not new. A notice issued last year read, "No student or staff can enter inside college premises wearing torn jeans or artificially torn jeans. It is strictly prohibited inside the college campuses."</p>

<p>The principal of AJC Bose College told Indian Express,&nbsp;"Last year, we issued a similar advisory for our students. But despite such notice, some students were seen coming to the college in torn jeans. We don’t want our students to come to the campus in such attire." The head added that&nbsp;the college would not allow entry to any student found wearing indecent clothes.</p>

<p>Following this notice, students at the colleges demonstrated against the authorities and said they wouldn't&nbsp;follow the rules.</p>

<p>Since students didn't follow the previously issued advisory, the college this year is aiming to&nbsp;make a strong impact, which is why&nbsp;new students will have to sign the undertaking to get into the college.</p>

<p>Students are free to wear any type of outfit outside the college premises but they will have to follow the rules when in college. The principal also claimed that the undertaking would enforce strict discipline in the college.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read|&nbsp;After Putin, Xi likely to pull out of G20 summit in India: Report</strong></p>

<p>A third-year student of the college told The Times Of India, "The college teaches us about freedom of expression but takes steps that curb personal choice. If education is properly imparted, students are responsible enough to judge what to wear and what not to at an institute."</p>

<p>The notification has different opinions as another student of the college did not find the rule problematic because several other colleges have the rule of following a dress code.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies</em>)<br />
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In the Indian state of West Bengal, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College in the capital Kolkata, has told undergraduate students to sign an undertaking declaring that they would refrain from wearing torn or artificially torn jeans to the institution.

In the Indian state of West Bengal, Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College in the capital Kolkata, has told undergraduate students to sign an undertaking declaring that they would refrain from wearing torn or artificially torn jeans to the institution. Similarly, the parents or guardians of the students have also been requested to sign a similar affidavit. The undertaking that the students have to sign reads - "Having been admitted to Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose College I will never enter inside college premises wearing torn/artificially torn jeans or any kind of indecent dresses. I do hereby affirm that I shall wear normal civil dresses during my study period inside the entire college premises.” Also Read| Moving beyond symbolism?: Opposition alliance INDIA to hold two-day meeting in Mumbai The prohibition on students and staff wearing indecent clothes, like torn jeans is not new. A notice issued last year read, "No student or staff can enter inside college premises wearing torn jeans or artificially torn jeans. It is strictly prohibited inside the college campuses." The principal of AJC Bose College told Indian Express, "Last year, we issued a similar advisory for our students. But despite such notice, some students were seen coming to the college in torn jeans. We don’t want our students to come to the campus in such attire." The head added that the college would not allow entry to any student found wearing indecent clothes. Following this notice, students at the colleges demonstrated against the authorities and said they wouldn't follow the rules. Since students didn't follow the previously issued advisory, the college this year is aiming to make a strong impact, which is why new students will have to sign the undertaking to get into the college. Students are free to wear any type of outfit outside the college premises but they will have to follow the rules when in college. The principal also claimed that the undertaking would enforce strict discipline in the college. Also Read| After Putin, Xi likely to pull out of G20 summit in India: Report A third-year student of the college told The Times Of India, "The college teaches us about freedom of expression but takes steps that curb personal choice. If education is properly imparted, students are responsible enough to judge what to wear and what not to at an institute." The notification has different opinions as another student of the college did not find the rule problematic because several other colleges have the rule of following a dress code. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'No torn jeans allowed': Kolkata college asks students to sign affidavit

The US Supreme Court has effectively struck down reservations on the basis of race in university admissions in a ruling announced yesterday. This upends decades-old U.S. Policies on affirmative action or positive discrimination to help blacks and other minorities obtain higher education. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: US Top court bans admissions based on Race

The US Supreme Court has effectively banned Universities from using race in admissions. The US Supreme Court rules 6-3 to end affirmative action. US President Joe Biden comments on the same stating how he disagrees with the decision and how colleges and the country are stronger when its racially diverse.

US: Universities may no longer factor race into admissions

<p>US President Joe Biden on Thursday rebuked the country's Supreme Court for striking down&nbsp;race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC), media reports said.</p>

<p>Biden in a tweet said that he "strongly disagrees" with the ruling. "For decades, the Supreme Court recognised a college’s freedom to decide how to build a diverse student body and provide opportunity. Today, the Court walked away from precedent, effectively ending affirmative action in higher education. I strongly disagree with this decision," the tweet read.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. And America is stronger because we are tapping into our full range of talent. Today's Supreme Court decision is not the last word," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes after the decision by the apex court dealt a significant blow to affirmative action policies which aimed at increasing diversity on college campuses.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The court's conservative justices, with dissenting opinions from the liberal justices, voted in favour of Students for Fair Admissions, an organisation led by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum. The organisation had challenged the admissions policies of these prestigious institutions.</p>

<h2><strong>US Supreme Court decision</strong></h2>

<p>The court's decision was a 6-3 vote against UNC and a 6-2 vote against Harvard.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Chief Justice John Roberts, for the majority, stated that the admissions programs at both universities violated the Equal Protection Clause of the US &nbsp;Constitution, emphasising that students should be evaluated as individuals rather than based on their race.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roberts clarified that this ruling does not prohibit universities from discussing an applicant's personal experiences with race biases.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Roberts said that students "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual, not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the colour of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice."</p>

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<p>"At the same time," Roberts said, "as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise."</p>

<h2><strong>Support towards affirmative action</strong></h2>

<p>Affirmative action has been supported by numerous educational institutions, corporations, and military leaders as a means to address racial inequities and foster diverse perspectives in workplaces and the armed forces.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Dissenting opinions</strong></h2>

<p>However, the court's decision is seen as a setback to these efforts.</p>

<p>Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor voiced her dissent. She argued that the ruling undermines the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and perpetuates racial inequality in education.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Tarang shakti, India's largest multilateral air exercise to be held this year</strong></p>

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<p>"Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress," she wrote in a dissent. She was joined by Jackson and Liberal Justice Elena Kagan.</p>

<h2><strong>Legal challenges and background</strong></h2>

<p>Blum's organisation filed lawsuits in 2014, alleging that UNC and Harvard discriminated against white, Asian American, and other non-underrepresented minority applicants.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lawsuits argued that UNC's admissions policy violated the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection, while Harvard's policy violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.</p>

<p>The Supreme Court's conservative shift since 2016, along with the appointment of three justices by former President Donald Trump, provided an opportunity to reconsider previous rulings on race-conscious admissions policies.</p>

<h2><strong>World leaders react over&nbsp;court's decision&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have also reacted over this key ruling by US Supreme Court. They joined the list of several other top Democrats who were quick to respond to the now-struck-down policy&nbsp;of the universities.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>The Obamas</strong></h2>

<p>Michelle Obama, the former first lady, shared her personal experience of being one of the few Black students on her college campus.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a statement shared on her Twitter account, she expressed her sadness for young individuals who may be uncertain about their future after the apex court's ruling. "Today, my heart breaks for any young person out there who's wondering what their future holds — and what kinds of chances will be open to them."</p>

<p>"Today is a reminder that we've got to do the work not just to enact policies that reflect our values of equity and fairness, but to truly make those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighbourhood," she said in the statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a tweet, Barack Obama responded,&nbsp;"Affirmative action was never a complete answer in the drive towards a more just society. But for generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of America’s key institutions—it gave us the chance to show we more than deserved a seat at the table. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, it’s time to redouble our efforts."&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Trump calls ruling 'a great day for America'</strong></h2>

<p>In a clear show of support for the Supreme Court's ruling, former US President Donald Trump called the decision by the apex court "a great day for America."</p>

<p>"This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and that’s what this wonderful day has brought. We’re going back to all merit-based—and that’s the way it should be!" he told a media outlet.</p>

<h2><strong>Republicans&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tweeted the Supreme Court has correctly upheld the constitution and ended discrimination by colleges and universities. "College admissions should be based on merit and applicants should not be judged on their race or ethnicity," he wrote in a tweet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also backed the ruling and told Fox News, "This is a good day for America. Honestly, this is the day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not the colour of our skin is what our constitution wants. We are continuing to work on forming this more perfect union. Today is better than yesterday, this year better than last year, this decade better than last decade. The progress that we're seeing in this nation is palpable."&nbsp;</p>

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US President Joe Biden on Thursday rebuked the country's Supreme Court for striking down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC), media reports said.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday rebuked the country's Supreme Court for striking down race-conscious student admissions programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina (UNC), media reports said. Biden in a tweet said that he "strongly disagrees" with the ruling. "For decades, the Supreme Court recognised a college’s freedom to decide how to build a diverse student body and provide opportunity. Today, the Court walked away from precedent, effectively ending affirmative action in higher education. I strongly disagree with this decision," the tweet read. "Our colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse. And America is stronger because we are tapping into our full range of talent. Today's Supreme Court decision is not the last word," it added. This comes after the decision by the apex court dealt a significant blow to affirmative action policies which aimed at increasing diversity on college campuses. The court's conservative justices, with dissenting opinions from the liberal justices, voted in favour of Students for Fair Admissions, an organisation led by anti-affirmative action activist Edward Blum. The organisation had challenged the admissions policies of these prestigious institutions. US Supreme Court decision The court's decision was a 6-3 vote against UNC and a 6-2 vote against Harvard. Also Read | British court declares govt’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda unlawful Chief Justice John Roberts, for the majority, stated that the admissions programs at both universities violated the Equal Protection Clause of the US Constitution, emphasising that students should be evaluated as individuals rather than based on their race. Roberts clarified that this ruling does not prohibit universities from discussing an applicant's personal experiences with race biases. Roberts said that students "must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual, not on the basis of race. Many universities have for too long done just the opposite. And in doing so, they have concluded, wrongly, that the touchstone of an individual’s identity is not challenges bested, skills built, or lessons learned but the colour of their skin. Our constitutional history does not tolerate that choice." Also Read | Indian-Origin man jailed for smuggling over 800 Indians into US using Uber "At the same time," Roberts said, "as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." Support towards affirmative action Affirmative action has been supported by numerous educational institutions, corporations, and military leaders as a means to address racial inequities and foster diverse perspectives in workplaces and the armed forces. Dissenting opinions However, the court's decision is seen as a setback to these efforts. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor voiced her dissent. She argued that the ruling undermines the constitutional guarantee of equal protection and perpetuates racial inequality in education. Watch | Tarang shakti, India's largest multilateral air exercise to be held this year × "Today, this Court stands in the way and rolls back decades of precedent and momentous progress," she wrote in a dissent. She was joined by Jackson and Liberal Justice Elena Kagan. Legal challenges and background Blum's organisation filed lawsuits in 2014, alleging that UNC and Harvard discriminated against white, Asian American, and other non-underrepresented minority applicants. The lawsuits argued that UNC's admissions policy violated the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection, while Harvard's policy violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Supreme Court's conservative shift since 2016, along with the appointment of three justices by former President Donald Trump, provided an opportunity to reconsider previous rulings on race-conscious admissions policies. World leaders react over court's decision Former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama have also reacted over this key ruling by US Supreme Court. They joined the list of several other top Democrats who were quick to respond to the now-struck-down policy of the universities. The Obamas Michelle Obama, the former first lady, shared her personal experience of being one of the few Black students on her college campus. In a statement shared on her Twitter account, she expressed her sadness for young individuals who may be uncertain about their future after the apex court's ruling. "Today, my heart breaks for any young person out there who's wondering what their future holds — and what kinds of chances will be open to them." "Today is a reminder that we've got to do the work not just to enact policies that reflect our values of equity and fairness, but to truly make those values real in all of our schools, workplaces, and neighbourhood," she said in the statement. In a tweet, Barack Obama responded, "Affirmative action was never a complete answer in the drive towards a more just society. But for generations of students who had been systematically excluded from most of America’s key institutions—it gave us the chance to show we more than deserved a seat at the table. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent decision, it’s time to redouble our efforts." Trump calls ruling 'a great day for America' In a clear show of support for the Supreme Court's ruling, former US President Donald Trump called the decision by the apex court "a great day for America." "This is the ruling everyone was waiting and hoping for and the result was amazing. It will also keep us competitive with the rest of the world. Our greatest minds must be cherished and that’s what this wonderful day has brought. We’re going back to all merit-based—and that’s the way it should be!" he told a media outlet. Republicans Florida Governor Ron DeSantis tweeted the Supreme Court has correctly upheld the constitution and ended discrimination by colleges and universities. "College admissions should be based on merit and applicants should not be judged on their race or ethnicity," he wrote in a tweet. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott also backed the ruling and told Fox News, "This is a good day for America. Honestly, this is the day where we understand that being judged by the content of our character, not the colour of our skin is what our constitution wants. We are continuing to work on forming this more perfect union. Today is better than yesterday, this year better than last year, this decade better than last decade. The progress that we're seeing in this nation is palpable." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

'I strongly disagree', says Biden after US Supreme Court strikes down race-based admissions programmes

<p>UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Monday said the central universities will have to use Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores to admit students to undergraduate programmes this year in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He said the CUET, in all likelihood, will be conducted in the first week of July.</p>

<p>This means that apart from the eligibility criterion of different universities, Class 12 board examination marks will not have any bearing on the admission of the students.</p>

<p>"From the 2022-23 academic year, the National Testing Agency will be conducting the CUET for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All the central universities will have to consider CUET scores for admissions to their programmes," Kumar said at a press briefing.</p>

<p>There are 45 central universities funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC).</p>

<p>The syllabus of the CUET will be mirrored with the Class 12 model syllabus of the NCERT, Kumar said.</p>

<p>The CUET will have Section 1A, Section 1B, general test and domain-specific subjects. Section 1A, which will be compulsory, will be in 13 languages and candidates can choose the language of their choice.</p>

<p>The options are English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Section 1B is optional and for students who want to opt for another language apart from the ones that are a part of Section 1A. Some of the languages on offer are French, Arabic, German, etc, he added.</p>

<p>Under the domain-specific subjects, a candidate can choose up to a maximum of six domains that they wish to pursue at the undergraduate level, Kumar said.</p>

<p>There are some universities that have general test as eligibility criteria for admission to even domain-specific courses so that is a part of the CUET, he said.</p>

<p>The UGC chairman said the reservation policy of the universities will not be impacted due to the CUET.</p>

<p>"The universities can enroll candidates for the general seats as well as for the reserved seats on the basis of CUET scores. It will not impact the existing admission and reservation policy that are in accordance with the Ordinances of the varsity," he said.</p>

<p>Explaining further, he said if a university has a certain percentage of seats reserved for local students, it will be able to retain that.</p>

<p>"But the thing is that these students will also have to take admission through CUET,” he added.</p>

<p>Central universities like Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) reserve half of their seats for the minority students. Both the universities are yet to take a call on CUET.</p>

<p>According to an AMU official, they will take a call on the CUET once they receive any communication from the UGC.</p>

<p>Kumar also said foreign students will continue to be admitted as per the existing practice the universities have on supernumerary basis.</p>

<p>The universities will be allowed to conduct practical and interviews for courses like music, fine arts, theatre, along with CUET.</p>

<p>"The institutes can accord certain weightage to practical for such courses," he said.</p>

<p>He also said there would not be any centralised counselling after CUET this year. The universities will have their own counselling.</p>

<p>The CUET will be held in two shifts. In the first shift, candidates will be able to write one language, two domain-specific papers and the general test. In the second shift, candidates can write the remaining four domain-specific subjects and section 1B, Kumar said.</p>

<p>Talking about the benefits of CUET, he said it will provide equal opportunities to students from across boards, especially to those from the northeast and rural areas.</p>

<p>The CUET is also expected to reduce financial burden on parents and students, as candidates will only have to write one exam.</p>

<p>The state universities, private universities and deemed to be universities can also use CUET scores for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions if they want, Kumar said.</p>

<p>Delhi University and some other universities have already announced that they will only admit students to undergraduate courses on the basis of CUET.</p>

<p>About postgraduate programmes, Kumar said, there are many universities that have adopted the CUET while there are some that conduct their own exams. The universities will have flexibility to opt for CUET as of now.</p>

<p>"We hope that all the universities adopt the CUET for postgraduate programmes," he said.</p>

<p>The NTA will soon release the detailed guidelines regarding CUET and the UGC will issue a public notice on Tuesday, Kumar said.</p>


UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Monday said the central universities will have to use Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores to admit students to undergraduate programmes this year in India.

UGC chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Monday said the central universities will have to use Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores to admit students to undergraduate programmes this year in India. He said the CUET, in all likelihood, will be conducted in the first week of July. This means that apart from the eligibility criterion of different universities, Class 12 board examination marks will not have any bearing on the admission of the students. "From the 2022-23 academic year, the National Testing Agency will be conducting the CUET for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All the central universities will have to consider CUET scores for admissions to their programmes," Kumar said at a press briefing. There are 45 central universities funded by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The syllabus of the CUET will be mirrored with the Class 12 model syllabus of the NCERT, Kumar said. The CUET will have Section 1A, Section 1B, general test and domain-specific subjects. Section 1A, which will be compulsory, will be in 13 languages and candidates can choose the language of their choice. The options are English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Section 1B is optional and for students who want to opt for another language apart from the ones that are a part of Section 1A. Some of the languages on offer are French, Arabic, German, etc, he added. Under the domain-specific subjects, a candidate can choose up to a maximum of six domains that they wish to pursue at the undergraduate level, Kumar said. There are some universities that have general test as eligibility criteria for admission to even domain-specific courses so that is a part of the CUET, he said. The UGC chairman said the reservation policy of the universities will not be impacted due to the CUET. "The universities can enroll candidates for the general seats as well as for the reserved seats on the basis of CUET scores. It will not impact the existing admission and reservation policy that are in accordance with the Ordinances of the varsity," he said. Explaining further, he said if a university has a certain percentage of seats reserved for local students, it will be able to retain that. "But the thing is that these students will also have to take admission through CUET,” he added. Central universities like Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) reserve half of their seats for the minority students. Both the universities are yet to take a call on CUET. According to an AMU official, they will take a call on the CUET once they receive any communication from the UGC. Kumar also said foreign students will continue to be admitted as per the existing practice the universities have on supernumerary basis. The universities will be allowed to conduct practical and interviews for courses like music, fine arts, theatre, along with CUET. "The institutes can accord certain weightage to practical for such courses," he said. He also said there would not be any centralised counselling after CUET this year. The universities will have their own counselling. The CUET will be held in two shifts. In the first shift, candidates will be able to write one language, two domain-specific papers and the general test. In the second shift, candidates can write the remaining four domain-specific subjects and section 1B, Kumar said. Talking about the benefits of CUET, he said it will provide equal opportunities to students from across boards, especially to those from the northeast and rural areas. The CUET is also expected to reduce financial burden on parents and students, as candidates will only have to write one exam. The state universities, private universities and deemed to be universities can also use CUET scores for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions if they want, Kumar said. Delhi University and some other universities have already announced that they will only admit students to undergraduate courses on the basis of CUET. About postgraduate programmes, Kumar said, there are many universities that have adopted the CUET while there are some that conduct their own exams. The universities will have flexibility to opt for CUET as of now. "We hope that all the universities adopt the CUET for postgraduate programmes," he said. The NTA will soon release the detailed guidelines regarding CUET and the UGC will issue a public notice on Tuesday, Kumar said.

India: Common entrance test, not Class 12 marks, for admissions to college

<p>The new regulations put forth by the University Grants Commission&rsquo;s (UGC) have opened a can of worms. A majority of&nbsp;teaching faculty as well as&nbsp;student bodies across the country are protesting against what they term as &ldquo;irrational, unreasonable and arbitrary&rdquo; set of rules. The proposed changes now mirror&nbsp;a step towards favouring exclusion and discrimination against the less-advantaged.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Apart from a<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/exploring-the-larger-picture-behind-new-ugc-regulations-14602"> cap</a> on the number of MPhil and PhD students who can now be supervised by a university teacher, there are talks of doing away with deprivation points in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) of India. Deprivation points are a part of JNU&rsquo;s unique admission policy of awarding special points to applicants from backward areas and marginalised communities. Upto a maximum of 12 points are given to candidates from rural areas of the country, female or transgender students, Kashmiri migrants, minorities, and students belonging to SC, ST and OBC.&nbsp;</p>

<h3>WION&#39;s exclusive coverage of the new UGC regulations:&nbsp;</h3>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="430" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FmV-pchgFo4" width="970"></iframe></p>

<p>Lata Singh, Chairperson of Centre for Women&rsquo;s Studies (CWS) of JNU reflects on the hypocrisy at the administrative level. She says, &ldquo;On one hand we want to be comparable to a world class university and get global rankings, on the other we don&rsquo;t want adequate representation of all sections of the society. Inclusivity is the key--we need to bring the 70 per cent&nbsp;marginalised people of India in the centre.&rdquo;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Singh highlights that a university like JNU with deprivation points was enabling many &ldquo;first generations to acquire higher education&rdquo;. &ldquo;There are many first generations studying here at CWS. I personally know of many such stories--one student is from a family of Dalits, who has made it this far for the first time. There is another student where the girl&rsquo;s parents are construction workers and she is the only one doing research. If deprivation points weren&rsquo;t in practice, these students would never have been able to make it. These youngsters would have remained in the circle of job their parents are currently in. Thus, never breaking the cycle,&rdquo; Singh adds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>JNU Teachers&rsquo; Association (JNUTA) states that the university campus is considered non-discriminatory and safe for women. In 2017, more women (453) than men (433) joined the MPhil or PhD programme, according to teachers&rsquo; data. Doing away with deprivation points would &ldquo;act as an impediment in maintaining a good representation of women scholars of the country&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>G. Arunima, Professor at CWS says, &ldquo;I am appalled and feel that this is a colossal mistake -- Deprivation point system is the contribution of this university to a new way of thinking.</p>

<p>&ldquo;It is over and above the constitutionally mandated system.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>The girl&rsquo;s parents are construction workers and she is the only one doing research. If deprivation points weren&rsquo;t in practice, these students would never have been able to make it.</h5>
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<p>&ldquo;Now among the kind that get the benefit of deprivation points, one are female students and they are not homogenous -- it is important to understand how many of them are Dalit, Muslim, Adivasi students or belonging to backward and small town regions. In a country where girls are barely sent to study, this system changed the complexion of the university. And it is not mechanical, it changes the kind of of discussion that happens in the classroom -- students from diverse backgrounds bring in certain kinds of criticality that will force you to rethink certain assumptions you work with.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Teachers from different schools in the university are worried that &ldquo;JNU is under threat--all the things it stood for will be threatened with this move&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Arunima says, &ldquo;We should not be moving toward homogeneity, we should appreciate the diversity and that is where deprivation points play their role. There are students who have been working in order to study here. They have worked in construction sites, as drivers, they have fought with their families asking not to get in their way of higher education. After masters, there is pressure to get married. I have tried to figure out in our Centre how to get projects for girls so that they can stay and do research.</p>

<p>&ldquo;I cannot believe we are living through this time. It&#39;s not just building a case for us, we worry what the future is. Universities provide a progressive space, it is about critical thinking. What will we do without a country with critical thinking?&rdquo; she says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In March 2017, Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by JNU students, stating that the university cannot formulate its own admission policy -- declaring the system of deprivation point as &ldquo;legally impermissible&rdquo;. This is being observed by teachers and students as &ldquo;taking away from JNU&nbsp;its multiplicity of voices&rdquo;.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>In March 2017, Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by JNU students, stating that the university cannot formulate its own admission policy -- declaring the system of deprivation point as &ldquo;legally impermissible&rdquo;</h5>
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<p>Students, who are collectively reeling under a lot of pressure after the seat reduction for research applicants, cite the removal of deprivation points as &ldquo;contrary to the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy&rdquo;. In their petition, they also challenged the provisions of laying down a minimum percentage requirement of 55 per cent&nbsp;for General category and 50 per cent&nbsp;for Reserved category as well as 100 per cent&nbsp;weightage given to viva voice.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ajay Kumar Patnaik, Professor in Centre for Russian Studies and School of International Studies who also held the position of the President of JNUTA twice does not mince words at all. Left with no seats this year for admitting research students in his Centre, he sees UGC&rsquo;s move as a &ldquo;dictat&rdquo;. He says, &ldquo;This is a public funded university and the people of the country have the right to get educated here. They should have given the university time to rationalise this. UGC just gave a dictat. UGC has also stopped scholarships.&rdquo;</p>

<p>He also strongly feels that &ldquo;diversity of universities should be taken into account&rdquo;. He says, &ldquo;Our autonomy should have been respected. UGC must not try to destroy the future of JNU. Students from all sections come here, make it here and then go on to do big things. No admissions this year, will affect the future generations.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Patnaik served as the chairman of the Deprivation Points Committee, JNU till last year. He says, &ldquo;Last year we revised and tweaked the deprivation points scheme so that it benefits students from backward districts--both girls and boys. The best part about the scheme is that it&rsquo;s caste-neutral but now this has all been done away with. The UGC regulations is anti-deprived areas, anti-backward people.&rdquo;</p>

<p>Associate Professor, SS Maitra of School of Biotechnology, JNU, however, differs on his view on deprivation points.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;Even within the reserved categories, backgrounds vary. One&rsquo;s father may be an IAS officer and another a construction worker. So therefore, their deprivation differs. The two of them get the same benefits of the deprivation point system. The quota system is rigid here and anybody can take advantage of it, irrespective of their family backgrounds. Such a system might work if students are categorised based on their financial status and family backgrounds,&rdquo;he says.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=One?s father may be an IAS officer and another a construction worker. So therefore, their deprivation differs. The two of them get the same benefits of the deprivation point system." target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-share">&nbsp;</i></a></div>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another issue at hand is also to restrict the scope of research topics feels Lata Singh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Singh adds, &ldquo;Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is only doing research on mythology. Their topics are &lsquo;Ram Setu, river Saraswati, Ramjanmabhoomi&rsquo;--they want to rewrite history. They want to promote research on our glorious history and past.</p>

<p>&ldquo;Here in JNU, students are researching on various things: body and sexuality, transgender rights. AFSPA in Kashmir. They don&rsquo;t want that. They tell us: &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t talk about body and sexuality.&rsquo; But then ironically also want to be in the global rankings.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;In all selection committee, RSS candidates don&rsquo;t get shortlisted because of the nature of their research proposal. So they want a backdoor entry,&rdquo; she adds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Manvendra Chauhan, Office Secretary in the ABVP unit of JNU feels that &ldquo;in all this chaos JNU has been impacted the most out of all other universities because it has the highest number of research scholars&rdquo;. He says, &ldquo;This year also JNU got All India Rank 2nd just because of the quality of research but the future doesn&rsquo;t look too promising.&rdquo;</p>

<p>On deprivation points, he adds, &ldquo;Deprivation points are being implemented more or less, in admission. The matter is still pending in the courts so let&#39;s see.&rdquo;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


From deprivation points to monitoring what students can research on, UGC casts a long shadow on Indian universities

The new regulations put forth by the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) have opened a can of worms. A majority of teaching faculty as well as student bodies across the country are protesting against what they term as “irrational, unreasonable and arbitrary” set of rules. The proposed changes now mirror a step towards favouring exclusion and discrimination against the less-advantaged. Apart from a cap on the number of MPhil and PhD students who can now be supervised by a university teacher, there are talks of doing away with deprivation points in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) of India. Deprivation points are a part of JNU’s unique admission policy of awarding special points to applicants from backward areas and marginalised communities. Upto a maximum of 12 points are given to candidates from rural areas of the country, female or transgender students, Kashmiri migrants, minorities, and students belonging to SC, ST and OBC. WION's exclusive coverage of the new UGC regulations: Lata Singh, Chairperson of Centre for Women’s Studies (CWS) of JNU reflects on the hypocrisy at the administrative level. She says, “On one hand we want to be comparable to a world class university and get global rankings, on the other we don’t want adequate representation of all sections of the society. Inclusivity is the key--we need to bring the 70 per cent marginalised people of India in the centre.” we need to bring the 70 per cent marginalised people of India in the centre × Singh highlights that a university like JNU with deprivation points was enabling many “first generations to acquire higher education”. “There are many first generations studying here at CWS. I personally know of many such stories--one student is from a family of Dalits, who has made it this far for the first time. There is another student where the girl’s parents are construction workers and she is the only one doing research. If deprivation points weren’t in practice, these students would never have been able to make it. These youngsters would have remained in the circle of job their parents are currently in. Thus, never breaking the cycle,” Singh adds. JNU Teachers’ Association (JNUTA) states that the university campus is considered non-discriminatory and safe for women. In 2017, more women (453) than men (433) joined the MPhil or PhD programme, according to teachers’ data. Doing away with deprivation points would “act as an impediment in maintaining a good representation of women scholars of the country”. G. Arunima, Professor at CWS says, “I am appalled and feel that this is a colossal mistake -- Deprivation point system is the contribution of this university to a new way of thinking. “It is over and above the constitutionally mandated system. The girl’s parents are construction workers and she is the only one doing research. If deprivation points weren’t in practice, these students would never have been able to make it. × “Now among the kind that get the benefit of deprivation points, one are female students and they are not homogenous -- it is important to understand how many of them are Dalit, Muslim, Adivasi students or belonging to backward and small town regions. In a country where girls are barely sent to study, this system changed the complexion of the university. And it is not mechanical, it changes the kind of of discussion that happens in the classroom -- students from diverse backgrounds bring in certain kinds of criticality that will force you to rethink certain assumptions you work with.” Teachers from different schools in the university are worried that “JNU is under threat--all the things it stood for will be threatened with this move”. Arunima says, “We should not be moving toward homogeneity, we should appreciate the diversity and that is where deprivation points play their role. There are students who have been working in order to study here. They have worked in construction sites, as drivers, they have fought with their families asking not to get in their way of higher education. After masters, there is pressure to get married. I have tried to figure out in our Centre how to get projects for girls so that they can stay and do research. “I cannot believe we are living through this time. It's not just building a case for us, we worry what the future is. Universities provide a progressive space, it is about critical thinking. What will we do without a country with critical thinking?” she says. In March 2017, Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by JNU students, stating that the university cannot formulate its own admission policy -- declaring the system of deprivation point as “legally impermissible”. This is being observed by teachers and students as “taking away from JNU its multiplicity of voices”. In March 2017, Delhi High Court dismissed a petition filed by JNU students, stating that the university cannot formulate its own admission policy -- declaring the system of deprivation point as “legally impermissible” × Students, who are collectively reeling under a lot of pressure after the seat reduction for research applicants, cite the removal of deprivation points as “contrary to the Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy”. In their petition, they also challenged the provisions of laying down a minimum percentage requirement of 55 per cent for General category and 50 per cent for Reserved category as well as 100 per cent weightage given to viva voice. Ajay Kumar Patnaik, Professor in Centre for Russian Studies and School of International Studies who also held the position of the President of JNUTA twice does not mince words at all. Left with no seats this year for admitting research students in his Centre, he sees UGC’s move as a “dictat”. He says, “This is a public funded university and the people of the country have the right to get educated here. They should have given the university time to rationalise this. UGC just gave a dictat. UGC has also stopped scholarships.” He also strongly feels that “diversity of universities should be taken into account”. He says, “Our autonomy should have been respected. UGC must not try to destroy the future of JNU. Students from all sections come here, make it here and then go on to do big things. No admissions this year, will affect the future generations.” Patnaik served as the chairman of the Deprivation Points Committee, JNU till last year. He says, “Last year we revised and tweaked the deprivation points scheme so that it benefits students from backward districts--both girls and boys. The best part about the scheme is that it’s caste-neutral but now this has all been done away with. The UGC regulations is anti-deprived areas, anti-backward people.” Associate Professor, SS Maitra of School of Biotechnology, JNU, however, differs on his view on deprivation points. “Even within the reserved categories, backgrounds vary. One’s father may be an IAS officer and another a construction worker. So therefore, their deprivation differs. The two of them get the same benefits of the deprivation point system. The quota system is rigid here and anybody can take advantage of it, irrespective of their family backgrounds. Such a system might work if students are categorised based on their financial status and family backgrounds,”he says. One’s father may be an IAS officer and another a construction worker. So therefore, their deprivation differs. The two of them get the same benefits of the deprivation point system. × Another issue at hand is also to restrict the scope of research topics feels Lata Singh. Singh adds, “Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) is only doing research on mythology. Their topics are ‘Ram Setu, river Saraswati, Ramjanmabhoomi’--they want to rewrite history. They want to promote research on our glorious history and past. “Here in JNU, students are researching on various things: body and sexuality, transgender rights. AFSPA in Kashmir. They don’t want that. They tell us: ‘Don’t talk about body and sexuality.’ But then ironically also want to be in the global rankings. “In all selection committee, RSS candidates don’t get shortlisted because of the nature of their research proposal. So they want a backdoor entry,” she adds. Manvendra Chauhan, Office Secretary in the ABVP unit of JNU feels that “in all this chaos JNU has been impacted the most out of all other universities because it has the highest number of research scholars”. He says, “This year also JNU got All India Rank 2nd just because of the quality of research but the future doesn’t look too promising.” On deprivation points, he adds, “Deprivation points are being implemented more or less, in admission. The matter is still pending in the courts so let's see.” (WION)

New UGC regulations will affect the weaker and disadvantaged sections the most

<p><br />
The Supreme Court prohibited the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country from conducting counselling sessions or admitting students into the institutes till further notice this year.</p>

<p>The stay is over an 18-marks bonus being awarded to all students who appeared in the Advanced Joint Entrance Exams this year as the answer key to seven questions had been lost. It is applicable to all the institutes which use the IIT-JEE (Advanced) results for admissions.</p>

<p>A bench of Justices headed by Dipak Misra restrained the high courts from entertaining any writ petition relating to counselling and admissions to the IITs from now on.</p>

<p>It also sought details of the number of cases and petitioners challenging the IIT-JEE 2017 rank list. The apex court had issued notice to the Indian ministry of (MHRD) human resource development on a plea seeking an end to the IIT-JEE 2017 rank list.</p>

<p>The petition filed by IIT aspirant Aishwarya Agarwal, had sought the court&#39;s direction to declare that the action of awarding &quot;bonus marks&quot; to the candidates who had appeared in the JEE (Advanced) 2017 examination, was wrong and violated her right, as well as that of other students.</p>

<p>It sought a direction for preparation of the all-India rank list after rectifying the scores of JEE (Advanced) and also award marks to the candidates who had attempted the answers for the incorrect questions.</p>

<p>As an alternative, the petitioner said the institution should conduct fresh examination and prepare a fresh merit list or grant all students another opportunity to appear in the examination to be conducted next year.</p>

<p>The petition also sought an interim stay on the merit list and the counselling, saying it would cause serious prejudice to the petitioner&nbsp;and other deserving candidates.</p>

<p>The next hearing on the matter will be on Monday, July 10.</p>


Bonus marks were awarded to each candidate as the answer key to seven questions was lost

The Supreme Court prohibited the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) across the country from conducting counselling sessions or admitting students into the institutes till further notice this year. The stay is over an 18-marks bonus being awarded to all students who appeared in the Advanced Joint Entrance Exams this year as the answer key to seven questions had been lost. It is applicable to all the institutes which use the IIT-JEE (Advanced) results for admissions. A bench of Justices headed by Dipak Misra restrained the high courts from entertaining any writ petition relating to counselling and admissions to the IITs from now on. It also sought details of the number of cases and petitioners challenging the IIT-JEE 2017 rank list. The apex court had issued notice to the Indian ministry of (MHRD) human resource development on a plea seeking an end to the IIT-JEE 2017 rank list. The petition filed by IIT aspirant Aishwarya Agarwal, had sought the court's direction to declare that the action of awarding "bonus marks" to the candidates who had appeared in the JEE (Advanced) 2017 examination, was wrong and violated her right, as well as that of other students. It sought a direction for preparation of the all-India rank list after rectifying the scores of JEE (Advanced) and also award marks to the candidates who had attempted the answers for the incorrect questions. As an alternative, the petitioner said the institution should conduct fresh examination and prepare a fresh merit list or grant all students another opportunity to appear in the examination to be conducted next year. The petition also sought an interim stay on the merit list and the counselling, saying it would cause serious prejudice to the petitioner and other deserving candidates. The next hearing on the matter will be on Monday, July 10.

Indian Supreme Court stays IIT counselling over "bonus marks" in IIT-JEE Advance

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