Delhi HC asks DU to try including foreign students in 5-year law course from next session

NEW DELHI : The Delhi High Court has asked the Delhi University to endeavour to include a quota for foreign students in its newly introduced integrated five-year law course from the next academic session in accordance with the extant regulations. The high court, however, dismissed a petition seeking directions to the university to make provisions for admission of foreign nationals in the integrated five-year BA LLB (Hons) or BBA LLB (Hons) courses, in accordance with Foreign Students’ Registry (FSR) guidelines for the current academic session 2023-2024.

“However, there can be no gainsaying that respondent no.1-University must endeavour to include the concerned quota from the upcoming academic session as per the extant regulations. Accordingly, the instant petition stands dismissed…,” Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said in a November 29 order.

The high court noted that the university, in its reply to the petition, has indicated various reasons as to why they cannot be granted admission in the present academic year. “Since respondent no.1-University has taken a policy decision to not to provide admission in the concerned academic year, that is, 2023-2024 for which almost the entire admission process is over, except for BBA LLB (Hons) five-year integrated programme (spot round-1) is going on, this court finds no reason to interfere into the aforesaid decision and to direct the respondent no.1- University to grant admission to the petitioner against this category,” the high court said.

The petition said on September 26 this year, the university published the prospectus for integrated five-year BA LLB (Hons.) and BBA LLB (Hons.) courses where no provision for admission to foreign students was made. The petitioner tried to contact the authorities to seek necessary clarification with regard to this aspect but as their response was not to his satisfaction he approached the court.

The petitioner’s counsel submitted that the relevant legal provisions and the resolution passed by the university make it clear that it is obligated to set aside up to 10 per cent seats for foreign students. He said such a provision has been made with regard to all other courses, and whenever not implemented, adequate reasons have been assigned. The lawyer said this provision has been in existence for quite some time. The university's counsel, however, contested the claim and said no quota was in existence for foreign students for the course concerned. He said the approval for the integrated five-year BA LLB (Hons.) course was received from the Bar Council of India only in August, 2023 and by the time it was received the admission process had already got delayed.