JNU Deprivation Points Row: Why Delhi HC Allowed PG Admissions

What Actually Happened?

A division bench of the Delhi High Court has permitted the university to continue its postgraduate admissions for the 2026–27 academic session based on its longstanding "Deprivation Points" system. The order, passed by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay and Justice Tejas Karia, overrules an earlier single judge directive that had brought admissions to a standstill over concerns that adding regional weightage undermines the sanctity of standardised CUET PG scores.

Under this, applicants who belong to geographically backward areas can receive up to 12 deprivation points (equivalent to 36 marks) added during their admission. The court has also added that the policy has been operational since 1974, and stopping this midway would affect students during the current academic calendar.

Also Read -

JNU Resumes UG, PG Admission After Delhi HC Division Bench Modified Interim Order on Deprivation Points

What Is JNU Deprivation Points Policy?

As per the JNU prospectus, section 5, students who belong to geographically backward regions will receive up to 12 deprivation points. The weightage for each point is equal to 3 marks, so in total, eligible students may receive up to 36 marks during the admission.

Why was this challenged in Court?

The petitioner argued in court that the JNU deprivation policy alters the raw/normalised score in the CUET PG exam, which in turn makes the standardised scores unfair. After this, the single judge had initially halted the admission process, stating that centralised entrance exam marks cannot be modified this way.

Why Delhi HC division bench Allowed JNU Admission Later On?

The first reason why the division bench in Delhi HC allowed the deprivation policy to continue is because JNU has been following this system since 1974, which makes it an over 50 years old system. As the JNU PG admission 2026 has already begun and classes have already started from July 30, stalling the admission may affect a number of students. Another counterpoint the division bench brought up over why the petitioner filed the plea in July, whereas, the JNU prospectus was available on the official portal from April 3, 2026.

How the Current Situation Affects the Students?

After the order from the Delhi High Court division bench, JNU can continue offering admission through the deprivation points system. Now, JNU counselling 2026 rounds and seat allotments can be continued without any sudden freezes. Students who come from rural or backward areas can keep their mark advantage, while students who are not eligible must compete with their initial CUET PG marks.