2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Mar 15, 2026 05:36 PM IST
Delhi University (DU) has rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s claim that it uses interviews to weed out students, asserting that admissions are primarily based on CUET scores and that interviews are not mandated for most undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
In a late Friday post on X, the university added that if Gandhi was referring to faculty recruitment, it has hired thousands of teachers across all categories in recent times. It strongly objected to the remarks, stating they create a disruptive environment, and urged the Leader of the Opposition to verify facts before making such statements.
“The University of Delhi admits students primarily based on the CUET scores, and the standard admission process does not mandate interviews for most undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. If the Leader of the Opposition was referring to recruitment (such as faculty positions), the University has, in recent years, recruited thousands of teachers across all categories. We strongly object to such comments, as they create a non-conducive environment in the University. The Leader of Opposition should have verified the facts before making such a statement,” read the University’s statement.
The rebuttal was in response to Gandhi’s address at a Lucknow event marking the birth anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, in which he alleged that DU expels students on the basis of caste. “Interview is just a way to eliminate students. They ask what your caste is and then you fail in the interview,” he said.
Gandhi also targeted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging the absence of OBC, Dalit, and Adivasi representation among its senior pracharaks, calling it a direct violation of the Constitution.
The remarks have since sparked fresh controversy, with the Indian National Teachers’ Congress (INTEC) and several DU professors, including academic and executive council members, pointing to public records showing that in multiple university departments, a significant number of teaching posts advertised under SC, ST, and OBC categories saw qualified candidates declared “not found suitable” following the interview stage.
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