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Delhi University’s Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College have invited applications for undergraduate admissions based on Class 12 results.
DU has allowed the move due to low enrolment. (File Photo)
While Delhi University (DU) continues its undergraduate admission process through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS), two off-campus colleges have started admitting students directly based on their Class 12 marks. The move has provided an alternative opportunity for students who could not secure a seat through CUET or are still waiting for admission. However, it has also triggered a debate over the university’s admission policy.
Delhi University’s Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College have invited applications for undergraduate admissions based on Class 12 results. Unlike the regular CUET-based process, students can apply directly to these colleges without using the CSAS portal.
Traditionally, DU allows admissions based on Class 12 marks only after all CSAS rounds, including spot and mop-up rounds, are completed and seats remain vacant. This year, however, the two colleges have received special permission to begin the process much earlier.
How the Admission Process Will Work
Students must download application forms from the official websites of the respective colleges, complete them, and submit them directly to the institutions. The colleges will prepare merit lists based on Class 12 scores and conduct the entire admission process independently.
The CSAS portal will not be used for these admissions, and no conventional cut-off lists will be released.
Admission Schedule
Bhagini Nivedita College has asked applicants to submit their forms by August 5. The merit list will be released the same day, while document verification and fee payment will continue until August 7. Aditi Mahavidyalaya has also announced its direct admission schedule, with applications and merit list publication following a similar timeline.
Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta clarified that the move does not represent a change in the university’s admission policy. According to him, the decision was taken due to the unique circumstances of the two colleges, which have consistently recorded a large number of vacant seats over the past several years, reported News18 Hindi.
He explained that many students initially accept seats at these colleges but later withdraw after securing admission to colleges they prefer, leaving hundreds of seats vacant each year. Based on requests from the colleges, the university granted them special permission to fill seats through direct admissions.
The Registrar emphasised that CUET and CSAS will remain the primary mode of undergraduate admissions across Delhi University. No other college has been granted similar permission, and the current arrangement applies only to Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College.
Large Number of Vacant Seats Every Year
According to DU data from last year, Bhagini Nivedita College had 709 vacant seats out of 985 sanctioned seats, while Aditi Mahavidyalaya had nearly 600 vacant seats out of approximately 1,000 seats. To address this persistent issue, the university introduced the alternative admission process earlier this year.
Bhagini Nivedita College Principal Ruby Mishra said the college’s location in Najafgarh contributes to the problem. Although around 600 students initially enrolled through CSAS, only about 200 remained after the upgrade rounds. She said the absence of hostels, cafés, and a vibrant campus environment, along with long commuting distances, discourages many students from continuing.
Aditi Mahavidyalaya Principal Neelam Rathi said the college was established primarily to serve students from Bawana and nearby rural areas. She noted that many students either struggle with the CUET application process or are unable to appear for the exam due to associated costs. The direct admission route, she said, will particularly benefit such students. She added that several students with over 90% marks have also applied through this process.
Last year, even reputed DU colleges such as St. Stephen’s College and Miranda House reported vacant seats in certain programmes, including Sanskrit. In response, the university has revised several BA programmes this year, replacing courses with consistently low enrolment by introducing programmes with higher student demand.
Teachers Raise Concerns
The decision has drawn criticism from teachers’ organisations. Prof. Pankaj Garg, President of the Indian National Teachers Congress, said that if admissions based on Class 12 marks are being allowed, the facility should be extended to all colleges with vacant seats rather than being limited to just two institutions.
He also argued that the move exposes limitations in the CUET-based admission system and called for a comprehensive review of the existing process. Another teachers’ organisation questioned the decision, stating that introducing an alternative admission method during the ongoing admission cycle raises concerns about the consistency and transparency of the university’s admission policy.
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August 04, 2026, 13:21 IST
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