Delhi High Court Halts JNU's Deprivation Points Policy Amidst Legal Challenge

The Delhi High Court has temporarily suspended Jawaharlal Nehru University's use of deprivation points in the 2026-27 admissions, questioning its fairness. The court observed the policy could alter entrance test scores, affecting merit-based selection. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on August 24.

In a significant development, the Delhi High Court has issued an interim order instructing Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to pause admissions for the 2026-27 academic session based on its controversial 'deprivation points' system.

Justice Jasmeet Singh pointed out that the system might improperly adjust the scores of candidates in the Common University Entrance Test (CUET), thus raising concerns about the integrity of the competitive examination.

The court's decision comes in response to a petition submitted by aspiring postgraduate student Amit Mehra, who challenges the inclusion of deprivation points in JNU's admissions process. The court has set August 24 as the next hearing date to further investigate the matter.