From the upcoming academic session, JNU will not provide any relaxation to the OBC candidates in the entrance examinations for M.Phil and Ph.D. courses, but they will be entitled to a concession of five marks in the eligibility criteria.
Last week, a decision in this regard was taken at a standing committee meeting attended by the deans of various schools.
At present, the university treats both OBC and general candidates at par when it comes to eligibility criteria for admissions to various courses. They need to have secured a minimum of 55 per cent marks in the qualifying examination.
However, the SC/ST candidates are given a relaxation, as they only require passing the qualifying examination with 34 per cent marks. However, the OBC candidates are offered a 10 per cent relaxation in the entrance examination or at the interview stage.
Therefore, while candidates in the general category are required to secure 40 marks, OBC students had to secure a minimum of 36 marks. The OBC students have been demanding a concession at both the stages since long. Last year, a candidate had also approached the court challenging denial of admission by the JNU as he had stood second in the entrance exam, but did not meet the eligibility criteria.
A source said, “It will be unfair to give the concession at both the stages, so it has been decided that the OBC candidates will be given a relaxation in eligibility, but they will have to compete with the general category students in the entrance exam or the interview.”
