House panel flags gaps in SC, ST teachers’ hiring, unmet quota for reserved category students in DU , Pg1

Key Highlights:

• Parliamentary Committee flagged irregularities in SC/ST teacher hiring at Delhi University (DU) from 2020-21 to 2024-25.
• SC student representation was below the 15% quota, except in 2024-25, while ST student representation remained "dismal".
• The committee recommended reducing cut-off marks to fill reserved vacancies and a study to redraw the faculty reservation roster from July 1997.
• Data shows SC undergraduate admissions rose from 11.97% in 2020-21 to 15.44% in 2024-25, while ST increased from 3.49% to 4.14%, below the 7.5% quota.

Detailed Insights:

• The committee noted that DU has only one SC/ST Cell for its 68 colleges, with inadequate staffing to address grievances and implement reservation policies effectively.
• The panel recommended recalculating reserved vacancies and backlogs based on the study of the reservation roster system, addressing flaws in compliance with reservation rules.
• Delays in announcing lower cut-offs for reserved categories force students to seek alternatives, missing out on DU's educational opportunities, impacting their academic prospects.
• The committee suggested establishing SC/ST central admissions grievance committees at both college and university levels to address admission-related issues faced by students.
• Teachers raised concerns about vacancies in reserved teaching posts and expressed concerns over notices like "not found suitable" or "no candidate shortlisted".

Key Concepts Involved:

• Reservation Roster: A mechanism to ensure proportional representation of different categories in public employment and education.
• Cut-off Marks: The minimum qualifying marks required for admission to educational institutions or recruitment to jobs.
• Grievance Committee: A body formed to address complaints and resolve issues faced by students or employees within an organization.