New Delhi: Starting this year, in a first in the history of Delhi University’s St Stephen’s College, its interview panel will have a member of the supreme council, a body higher in authority than the governing body of the college, and comprising six members from the Church of North India (CNI) and also those nominated by it. The Chairperson of both the supreme council and the governing body is the Bishop of Delhi, and member secretary of both is the principal.
This is the second attempt by the college administration to increase the influence of the Church in the day-to-day functioning of the college after Valson Thampu, former principal of the college, had moved an amendment proposal in 2015 to increase the power of the supreme council regarding admission and faculty appointment. However, this is against clauses IV and V of the 106-year-old constitution of St Stephen’s.
It is for the first time that a non-academic person from outside the faculty of the college been made a member of the admissions procedure of the undergraduates.
The announcement, made by college principal John Varghese, has been met with strong criticism from the faculty members as it brings the college’s admission process under a conflict of interest.
Almost all permanent teachers present at the meeting protested strongly against the unilateral announcement. Later in the evening, a statement was issued by Nandita Narain, Associate Professor, department of Mathematics, member of governing body, N P Ashley, Assistant Professor, department of English, member of governing body, Abhishek Singh, Assistant Professor, department of Economics, member of governing body.
The decision is against the constitution of the college, the members of the governing body claimed.
The clause 4 of the college’s constitution says: “The Supreme Council of the College shall have the control of the religious and moral instruction of students of the college and of all matters affecting its religious character as a Christian college of the church of north India; and, in addition, shall appoint, after proper advertisement, the principal of the college who shall be a member of the church of north india or of a Church that is in communion with the church of north india.”
The clause 5 lays down that “the supreme council of the college shall have no jurisdiction over the administration of the College.”
The faculty members pointed out that the decision “is in violation of the college constitution that categorically stipulates that the supreme council shall have no jurisdiction in the administration of the college.”
They also pointed out that in a governing body meeting held on March 14, no such decision was announced by the principal. “He has made this unilateral announcement in the staff council. Hence, he has acted in violation of the powers of both the governing body as well as the staff council, as laid down in ordinance XVIII of Delhi University,” said the statement by the faculty members.
The 1992 judgment of the Supreme Court, which upheld the minority status of the college, had permitted it to have a separate admissions process, including an interview with 15% weightage only because the interviews were conducted solely by the teachers of the college.
