New Delhi: The Delhi HC has issued directions to the Delhi University (DU) to have reserve seats for the physically handicapped students in Health Care Administration course under the management studies. Disposing of a petition filed by Poonam Dahiya, a handicapped student, seeking direction to the faculty MBA studies to get her admission in the course, Justice B D Ahmed said: "In future the University shall reserve at least one seat and carry out the mandate prescibed under the DU guidlines."

The Court however, did not allow Poonam to get admission in three-year course for the academic session 2007-2010, saying that she did not approach this court "on time". "If admission is now granted to her, it would mean that the University would have to increase the intake of students by one. She would gain unfair advantage over the aspiring handicapped candidates who did not apply as there was no provision for reservation in the course," Justice Ahmed said.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Poonam after she was denied admission for the course in the physically handicapped category on the ground that the application form did not mention about the handicapped category.