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Delhi University Halts St Stephen’s Principal Appointment Over UGC Panel Rules

The objection puts the autonomy of the minority-run college under fresh scrutiny.

Overview

  • Delhi University, in a letter Thursday, told St Stephen’s not to implement the appointment and to reconvene a selection panel that complies with UGC 2018 rules.
  • The registrar said the selection committee did not include the university‑nominated experts required by the regulations, so its recommendations could not be used.
  • St Stephen’s had earlier announced Professor Susan Elias as its 14th and first woman principal, set to take charge on June 1, after a process the college describes as proper.
  • College leaders cite its Christian minority status and a 2008 Delhi High Court ruling that limited DU ordinances for minority institutions as context for their stance.
  • Students and faculty express pride in the breakthrough yet frustration over opaque procedures, and they fear the standoff could delay a smooth leadership handover.