Two days before trials under the Extra Curricular Activities (ECA) category for undergraduate admissions were supposed to be held, Delhi University?s Hindu College announced that admissions under ECA will not take place this year.
?As per the instruction of the Hon?ble Chairman, Governing Body of the College, there will be NO ECA ADMISSIONS for the academic year 2014-2015. All applicants under this category may take note of this. Students who want a refund of application fee may contact the Accounts Office by providing the acknowledgment slip,? a notice signed by Hindu College Principal said.
When asked about the reasons behind the decision, SNP Punj, Hindu College Governing Body Chairman said, ?There are several allegations about corruption in ECA admissions. Also, there are no clear guidelines for ECA admissions from DU, though they assured us that a new guidelines will be issued. So we decided earlier that admissions under ECA and Sports categories will not take place in the college, to curb any alleged malpractice.?
For the 16 seats under ECA category, the college has received more than 600 applications. While trials for theatre, dance, music and debating were supposed to begin on Monday, the college issued the notice only late Friday evening. ?The decision was taken weeks ago. I do not know why the college put up the notice only now,? Punj said.
Sources in the college said that the administration had decided to hold ECA trials this year. However, with pressure mounting on the administration from the governing body, trials were cancelled at the last minute.
DU officials, said there was never any talk of changing ECA guidelines. ?The guidelines have remained the same. The university gives discretion to colleges to hold admissions under ECA and sports categories for which a maximum of five per cent of seats are reserved,? a university official said.
The official further stated that DU has the authority to take action in the situation and direct the college to take admission under the category.
