Unmukt may not lose a year as DU VC 'positively inclined'

Unmukt Chand, the captain of the U-19 Indian cricket team which won the World Cup, may not lose a year due to low attendance with Delhi University Vice Chancellor Dinesh Singh indicating he is "positively inclined" to see whether he could use his powers to allow him promotion.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal spoke to Singh as well as Valson Thampu, the Principal of St Stephen's College where Unmukt is studying, after India captain M S Dhoni and Sports Minister Ajay Maken rallied behind the young cricketer.

Sibal said he requested Thampu if he could use his discretionary powers to ensure that Unmukt could sit for his university exams.

"He (Thampu) said he was bound by university rules and then I requested the Vice Chancellor if he could use his emergency powers. He (VC) agreed to it and said he would be positively inclined," the minister said.

Asked if there should be a policy for such cases, Sibal said there should be a provision under university regulations where such emergency powers can be used in special cases in national interest.

Delhi University rules mandate a student to have at least 33.3 per cent attendance in an academic session after all exemptions, but 19-year-old Unmukt, a first year BA student of St Stephen's College, could not attend required number of classes owing to his cricketing engagements.