Delhi University panel flags recruitment rule violations at St Stephen’s College

A Delhi University (DU) Executive Council (EC) committee has flagged violations in the shortlisting criteria used for the recruitment of assistant professors at St Stephen’s College. The committee, constituted following an EC meeting on April 29, 2026, recommended that the college adhere to university recruitment rules and regulations.

The controversy centers on allegations that St Stephen’s College made appointments in violation of DU’s approved shortlisting criteria, including altering benchmark academic scores and exceeding the prescribed number of candidates for interviews. The college, however, maintained that the university’s shortlisting criteria were advisory and asserted its right as a minority institution to determine the mode and manner of selecting teachers.

Allegations of Shortlisting Irregularities

The Delhi University committee, chaired by Prof Inder Mohan Kapahy, identified several alleged deviations from university-approved shortlisting criteria. These included the college setting a departmental cut-off score of 50 for Philosophy, which is below the university-prescribed minimum academic score of 55. The report also raised concerns that these deviations allegedly allowed otherwise ineligible candidates to be shortlisted for interviews.

The committee’s report also noted that the college shortlisted 234 candidates for three unreserved assistant professor vacancies and 11 candidates for one vacancy reserved for persons with benchmark disabilities in the Philosophy department. The college later disclosed a practice of shortlisting 70 candidates for each unreserved vacancy, which contrasts with DU norms. Concerns were also raised regarding using research publications for screening, where college criteria reportedly differed from the university’s standard operating procedure.

College’s Stance and University’s Response

St Stephen’s College cited the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) 2018 regulations, which state that the number of candidates called for interviews is to be decided by the college. The institution also argued that as a minority institution, it possessed the autonomy to determine its teacher selection process. This stance aligns with the college’s history of asserting its minority institution status in matters of admissions and appointments, often leading to clashes with Delhi University.

Despite the college’s position, the DU committee reiterated that shortlisting criteria approved by university statutory bodies were binding on constituent colleges. The university, through a letter dated April 29, 2026, advised the college to refrain from issuing appointment letters. The committee held meetings on May 7 and May 29, 2026, seeking details from the college regarding its shortlisting criteria, shortlisted candidates, API scores, and reasons for not following university-approved criteria. The college, however, did not provide the requested information despite reminders.

Timeline of Events and Legal Intervention

The recruitment results were declared by St Stephen’s College on the night of May 9, 2026. Selected candidates were allowed to join on May 11, 2026, even as the committee’s examination of the process was pending. On May 13, 2026, the Delhi High Court directed that selection committee recommendations should not be implemented without the court’s leave. Despite this directive, the college reportedly continued the joining process and assigned invigilation duties to selected candidates.

The Delhi University Act, 1922, vests the power of appointment and recognition of teachers in the University. This ongoing dispute is part of a broader context where St Stephen’s College has previously challenged DU’s admission guidelines and the appointment process of its principal, citing non-compliance with UGC Regulations 2018.

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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