Click to play videoNew Delhi: It's been an anxious wait for 17-year-old Saransh Sharma. He has been waiting for the first cut-off list of St Stephen’s – Delhi’s premier educational institute.
Already one of the most competitive admission processes in Delhi University - as a general category student he feels that with yet another increase in the Christian quota - he will find it difficult to make it to his preferred course.
“You're leaving out so many students who truly deserve to be in a college like this one. I feel I am completely at a disadvantage,” he says.
It's not just disappointment for students vying to be in St Stephen’s. Many others feel the 50 per cent quota could lead a drop in the standard of education at the college.
The college's highest decision making body, the supreme council, has hiked the quota for the third consecutive year from 30 per cent in 2006 to 40 per cent this year.
Out of every 100 seats, 40 seats are for Christians, 10 are for Dalit Christians and 10 seats are for SC/ST students, which leaves just 40 seats for General Category students like Saransh.
“This is going to have a direct impact on the quality of education. The college was known to attract the best,” says former Stephanian and senior journalist, Satish Jacob.
But college authorities insist the quota is a result of a marked increase in the number of Christian applicants last year.
St Stephen's spokesperon, Sunil Mathew says as a minority institution, the college could do much more for the community - an argument that non-Christian applicants will not easily accept.
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