Two Delhi University women’s colleges – Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College – have started in-person, merit-based undergraduate admissions after receiving “special permission” from the university to fill a large number of seats that remained vacant through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET).
DU registrar Vikas Gupta confirmed that permission was granted to the two colleges to admit students through both CUET scores and merit-based selection. Queries sent to DU Dean of Admissions Haneet Gandhi did not elicit a response.
The principals told HT they had sought approval to admit students based on a combination of CUET scores and Class 12 marks after several rounds of admissions through the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) in previous years failed to fill available seats. They attributed the poor response to the colleges’ location on the city’s outskirts and their status as women-only institutions.
“This is to inform all concerned that applications are invited for merit-based admission in the undergraduate programmes for the academic session 2026-27, subject to the availability of seats and approval of the University of Delhi,” stated a notice issued by acting principal of Bawana-based Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Neelam Rathi.
A similar notice issued by Bhagini Nivedita College principal Ruby Mishra on August 1 stated: “Applications are invited for merit-based admission in the physical mode…”
DU has been admitting students to various undergraduate programmes offered across its 67 affiliated colleges through the CUET-based admission process conducted by the National Testing Agency since the 2022–23 academic session. So far, two rounds of admissions for the 2026-27 session have already concluded.
Mishra said Bhagini Nivedita College, located in Najafgarh, continues to struggle despite operating two buses for students. “Connectivity remains a major concern. The area also lacks the recreational spaces and amenities that students look for. Even after multiple rounds of CUET admissions, a majority of seats remain vacant. Therefore, we requested the university to permit merit-based admissions after a few rounds of CUET… which we have received,” she said.
She added that being a women’s college further limits the pool of eligible applicants.
Rathi said nearly 40% of seats at Aditi Mahavidyalaya have remained vacant in recent years under the CUET-based admission process, leading to underutilisation of the college’s resources. Following this, she said, the college sought and received permission to bolster numbers through in-person admissions.
“The college was established primarily to serve the rural population around Bawana. I surveyed 40-45 government schools and found many families do not allow their daughters to even apply for CUET because they fear they will have to study far from home. There are many bright students scoring over 90% in Class 12 who are unable to pursue higher education because of these constraints,” she said.
She stressed that CUET would remain the primary admission route but said merit-based admissions would help utilise vacant seats after the regular rounds conclude.
The move drew criticism from the Indian National Teachers Congress (INTEC), which said granting special treatment to two colleges undermines a uniform admissions policy. In a letter to vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh on August 3, INTEC chairman Pankaj Garg urged the university to adopt a common and transparent policy for filling vacant undergraduate seats. “The same opportunity must be extended to all colleges across the university this academic session,” Garg said.
