The education minister Kapil Sibal has expressed ‘sorrow’ at the high minimum marks posted by colleges as entry criteria for under graduate courses in Delhi and promised action.
“I am extremely sad at the situation.. This is an irrational way to look at education, we will not let this method go on,” Sibal said, adding that the educational institutions under the Delhi University will have to come up with a new system to decide the merit of candidates.
The minister said that the colleges seemed to be trying to keep students out as the 100% cut off is being insisted for students who are trying to change their stream, for example, from commerce to science or vice versa.
Sibal’s comments came after two colleges refused to take anyone with less than 100% marks for one of their courses.
Under Delhi’s ‘five cut-off list’ system, the colleges invite applicants in five successive rounds. In the first round, only those with the highest marks are invited, while the cut-off marks are subsequently eased to fill more and more seats.
Delhi University Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh pointed out that the high cut off marks for the first list should not scare students away. “This is only the first list.. there will be four more after this,” he pointed out.
He pointed out that unlike in the last year, when only 2% of the applicants had more than 95% marks, this year it was 8%.
“The cut-off marks are not decided by the colleges, but by how well the students do,” pointed out P.C. Jain, principal of the Sree Ram College of Commerce in the capital.