Overview
- A single judge had on August 14 temporarily barred JNU from finalising admissions under its deprivation‑point rule after finding that the scheme appeared to alter candidates’ CUET marks and could undermine the exam’s sanctity.
- A division bench of the Delhi High Court on August 18 modified that interim stay and allowed JNU to resume postgraduate admissions under its April 3 e‑prospectus, but declared all admissions subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition.
- JNU’s deprivation points system awards up to 12 points based on prior schooling location, treats one point as three marks, and can therefore add up to 36 effective marks to a candidate’s CUET score; the university says the measure dates to 1974 and aims to boost geographic representation.
- The court noted operational risks because JNU told judges it had already issued offer letters to large numbers of candidates and some classes began on July 30, and the division bench asked the single judge to expedite the case with a hearing listed for August 24.
- If the policy is later held unlawful, admissions finalised under the scheme could face complex reversal and fairness problems for students and the university, and the pending judgement will decide the broader legal question of post‑exam mark adjustments.