No 13212, Saturday 03 Apr 2021, Afterdark

 Across

1 Like to keep track of escalations (7) ASCENTS {A{SCENT}S}
5 Escaped emptiness after a meeting with journalist (7) AVOIDED {A}{VOID}{ED}
9 Auditor’s treat at open air restaurant (9) CAFETERIA {CA}{FETE}{AIR*}
10 Operated front door with electronic key (5) DEALT {Door}{E}{ALT}
11 In Delhi & Kerala, it’s enough rice (7) BASMATI {BAS}{MATI}
12 Toilets are shabby? It's an understatement (7) LITOTES {TOILETS*}
13 Managed company diversity (5) RANGE {RAN}{GE}
15 Illiterate crowd in an university in India on Sunday (9) IGNORAMUS  {IGNO{RAM}U}{S}
17 Team-mate in company joins liberal association (9) COLLEAGUE {CO}{L}{LEAGUE}
19 Thin membranes leading to anemia without drug administration (5) AMNIA {ANeMIA*}
21 Maintenance of any limo could be difficult (7) ALIMONY {ANY+LIMO*}
23 Eager or wary? Source of joy is absent, sleep instead (7) ZEALOUS {(+Z-j)EALOUS}
25 Exhausted mate, not new (5) FRIED {FRIEnD}
26 Leaders like Hitler are too drastic, leave nothing and destroy (9) DICTATORS {TOo+DRASTIC*}
27 Bird embarrassed dog (7) REDTAIL {RED}{TAIL}
28 Repeats last scene at censor in a loop (7) ENCORES {scenE}{CENSOR*}

Down

1 Mysterious obstacle in making a construction implement on chimney (4,3) ARCH BAR ? {ARCH}{BAR} See comments
2 Copper grabs two fellows at school and clobbers (5) CUFFS {CU}{FF}{S}
3 Unusual stance taken by university on madman (7) NUTCASE {STANCE*} around {U}
4 Struggling with drizzling being on road (9) STRAINING {ST}{RAINING}
5 Free, but not fit for use (5) AVAIL {AVAILable}
6 An elderly person, wounded soldier crossing island taking time (7) OLDSTER {SOLDiER*} around {T}
7 Designer found dead on float, small chap (9) DRAFTSMAN {S}{RAFT}{S}{MAN} {D}{RAFT}{S}{MAN} See comments
8 Dislikes having stranger in Delaware streets (7) DETESTS {D{ET}E}{STS}
14 Cancelled national university leagues? Provided that’s disinfected primarily (9) NULLIFIED {N}{U}{LL}{IF}{IE}{Disinfected}
16 Uncontrollable zest in calling a philosopher (9) NIETZSCHE {NI{ZEST*}CHE}

17 Having tea with two fellows, about to turn teaser (7) CHAFFER {CHA}{FF}{RE<=}
18 Introductory parts aired in a haste, taking wrong order (7) EXORDIA {AIRED*} around {X}{O}
19 Old language, best used by God (catholic) (7) ARAMAIC {A{RAMA}I}{C}
20 First to board ship after a son helps (7) ASSISTS {A}{S}{S{IST}S}
22 Yell from the sides? Appropriate song and sing (5) YODEL {Yel{ODE}L}
24 Hard to follow old scent (5) ODOUR {O}{DOUR}

Reference List

Journalist=Ed, Auditor=CA, Electronic=E, Key=ALT, Managed=Ran, Company=GE, University in India=IGNOU, Sunday=S, Company=Co, Liberal=L, Drug=E, Sleep=Z, New=N, Nothing=O
Copper=Cu, Fellow=F, School=S, University=U, Road=St, Island=I, Time=T, Dead=D, Small=S, Stranger=ET, Delaware=DE, Streets=Sts, National=N, University=U, Leagues=LL, Provided=If, Tea=Cha, Fellow=F, About=Re, Wrong=X, Order=O, Best=AI, God=Rama, Catholic=C, First=Ist, Ship=SS, Son=S, Old=O

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Reference list word, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Opposite indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous