An MA (Sanskrit) topper denied admission to M Phil, courtesy a unique ranking system that will remain effective for one year only

When he topped the University in MA (Sanskrit), an M Phil seat looked almost certain. But little did Ravi Prabhat know that the Delhi University had different plans altogether.

Prabhat was denied a seat and his name figured in the waitlisted category thanks to a unique ranking system introduced for admissions to M Phil this year.

Interestingly, the criterion would apply to admissions this year only and next year it would be back to entrance tests, the way it was being done for the last so many years.

This year students will be given admission on the basis of their past academic record. The MA score holds 50 per cent weightage, BA results account for 30 per cent and Class XII and X scores mean ten per cent each.

The aggregate score of Ravi on this scale is 69.52 per cent.

"The guidelines for admission are set by the academic council and the executive council of the university. We can't change the rules even if the topper fails to get admission," Dean, Faculty of Arts, Professor MM Agrawal told MiD DAY.

A number of students are protesting against this move since December last year. They allege that the head of the Sanskrit Department did not care to follow the rules set by the university and devised his own method for admissions to M Phil and PhD in the ancient Indian language.

Prabhat, however, is afraid of joining the protest. "I have been fighting along with other students but my career is at stake. If I feature prominently in the protests, it may affect my chances of admission," said Prabhat.