The Delhi University (DU) undergraduate admission process has again become controversial, as the varsity has initiated a mop-up round of admissions six weeks into the semester to fill thousands of vacant seats. The administration’s decision to revert to Class 12 marks for this round has drawn sharp criticism from both teachers and students, raising concerns about fairness and academic planning.
Mop-Up Round Reverts to Class 12 Marks
Initially, DU had based admissions solely on the CUET-UG 2025 scores through its Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS). However, for the mop-up round, the university is now considering Class 12 marks, a move seen by faculty as inconsistent and confusing. On one hand, admission is based on CUET results and on the other hand, vacant seats are being filled on Class 12 marks. How can the same university adopt two rules in the same year without approval?” – Prof Deo Kumar, Rajdhani College. The timing of this mop-up round has also created anxiety, as the semester break is scheduled for October, leaving newly admitted students with only six to eight weeks of actual classroom instruction in a 14-week term.
Colleges Left to Handle Admission Chaos
Unlike earlier rounds, DU has not created a central merit list for the mop-up round. Colleges have been instructed to prepare their own lists from thousands of applications within a tight three-day window. Faculty members across departments are being asked to manage this administrative task, leading to further dissatisfaction. “Are teachers supposed to become clerks? The university has simply washed its hands of the responsibility,” – Senior DU Faculty Member
Vacant and Overfilled Seats
Reports indicate that several DU colleges still have large numbers of vacant seats, while others have admitted more students than their sanctioned strength. Faculty members argue that this highlights the failure of CUET and CSAS as models for fair and merit-based admissions. Rudrashish Chakarborty, another DU faculty member, added: “This is the sixth week of the semester. How are these students supposed to cope with missed classes? This is nothing short of academic injustice.”
Timing and Political Overtones
Some faculty members have raised concerns that the mop-up round’s timing, just before DUSU elections on September 18, may be politically motivated, aimed at increasing voter turnout rather than addressing admission challenges. The decision has amplified debates about the effectiveness of CUET and CSAS, initially introduced as reforms to ensure transparent and merit-based admissions. Critics now argue that instead of streamlining the process, these mechanisms have created new administrative and academic challenges.
