Delhi Colleges: Where Are 85% Seats Reserved And Who Are Eligible? – News18

Last Updated:January 30, 2025, 18:41 IST

As per a Delhi High Court ruling, reservation is based on the school’s location where the student completed the eligibility test and not their place of residence

The issue of domicile-based admissions is currently a subject of intense debate. This follows the Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn the reservation for medical postgraduate (PG) courses based on domicile status.

The court deemed such reservations unconstitutional, citing a violation of Article 14, which guarantees equality before the law. This ruling has ignited fresh discussions surrounding the use of domicile as a factor in admissions criteria.

Let us learn which institutions offer Delhi domicile holders a higher probability of securing admission. 85% of seats in Delhi government colleges are reserved under the Delhi quota, leaving only 15% for students from other states.

What is the Delhi Student Quota

The Delhi quota applies to technical education institutions of the Delhi Government, where 85% of seats are reserved under this provision. In 2022, the Delhi High Court, in its decision, clarified the definition of a Delhi student and outlined who can avail themselves of this 85% reservation.

Admissions in the technical education institutions of the Delhi Government are governed by the Delhi Diploma Level Technical Education Institutions Act, 2007. Section 12(1)(b) of this Act stipulates that 85% of the total seats, excluding management seats, are reserved for ‘Delhi students’. The remaining 15% of seats are reserved for students from outside Delhi. However, it also states that the government may issue instructions regarding these seats in the official gazette.

Who is a Delhi Student

According to Section 3(g) of the Act, a Delhi student has been defined as a candidate who has taken or passed the qualifying examination from a recognised school or institute in Delhi.

Will Passing from an NCR School Grant Eligibility

A question arises: can a student residing in Delhi but having graduated from a school in the National Capital Region (NCR) avail themselves of the Delhi student quota benefits? This issue was recently brought before the Delhi High Court by a student who had completed their 12th standard from a Gurugram-based school.

The petitioner argued that the NCR encompasses areas within Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan. Consequently, numerous Delhi residents study in Gurugram schools and should therefore be eligible for the 85% reservation allocated to Delhi students.

The petition highlighted an alleged disparity: while students from other states studying in Delhi schools benefit from the reservation, Delhi residents graduating from NCR schools do not. However, the Delhi High Court rejected this petition.

What did the Delhi High Court say?

The Delhi High Court ruled that reservation will not be determined by a student’s place of residence (domicile), but rather by the geographical location of the school from which they completed the eligibility test.

Which institutions offer an 85% reservation benefit

This Delhi government Act applies to technical education institutions affiliated with the Board of Technical Education of Delhi, offering engineering, pharmacy, paramedical, or other courses.

This includes institutions like B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (IP University), Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University, and Delhi Technological University (DTU).

Location :

Delhi, India, India