BHU, initially dismissed its claims, eventually softened its stance and replaced their rules, allowing their entry. On 26 March, Versity stated that he received some complaints from students from some departments about irregularities in PhD entry and formed a committee to review the eligibility criteria for admission to the Center for Inclujan Studies.
The university said that the three seats advertised for the main subject in the RET-E category were vacant due to the non-availability of candidates. It has also been underlined that according to Bulletin published by BHU for PhD entry 2024-25, if a department has received less applications than advertised seats, it was possible to change the seats in another category before the counseling process started. In other words, seats could not be transferred from RET-E to RET after consultation started.
Versity said that “this reduces these efforts to spread concocted information with the aim of tarnishing image and reputation,” and insisted that no qualified candidate was deprived of admission.
“It is a general principle that admissions are offered on the basis of admission, and those placed on top are given preference in seat allocation. Those who are not seen in merit in a particular category, they do not claim any for admission despite their category, obtained, or despite other factors,” said the varity.
BHU tried to combat allegations of caste-based discrimination, saying that all interview committees for PhD were a member representative from SC, ST and OBC categories and all entry were held through neutrality and transparency. Of the total 791 PhD admissions made till 29 March, 429 were in the unreserved category, 198 were OBCs, 74 SCs, 27 STs and 63 from Economically Weaker sections (EWS) category. “Reservation provisions are in line with the rules of the Government of India and Banaras Hindu University and the letter and spirit to complete the admission process have been followed,” BHU.
This was likely to “influence the research ecosystem of the university”, BHU said, saying that it requested the UGC to find out the possibility of starting a second entrance cycle to fill the remaining vacant seats based on the available weightlestated candidates. The steps were taken to address the concerns raised by various interested groups through their representation about the rhetoric of the ret-out mode for the ret-out mode.
A day later, BHU announced that UGC had accepted its request for admission in the second round. Ret-free vacant vacant seats will be transferred to the RET category. BHU said, “The university’s effort is to ensure that seats are not vacant, qualified candidates have the opportunity to do research and promote teaching and learning in the university.”
The admission process opened again on 8 April. A day later, Sonkar was finally approved by his admission. “On April 9, at 1:20 pm, I was accepted,” Sonkar said, the material is being attached to her achievement.
“It was a fight for social justice,” said Sonkar. For him, his entry was a victory for Dalits, and especially his Khatik community, in India’s academics for space for space. “If someone undergoes a list of those applying for PhD, you can count people in your community on your fingers,” he said.
(Omar Rashid is an independent journalist who writes on politics and life in Hindi Hindland.)
