Common University Entrance Test glitches may delay DU seat allocations

With CUET scores forming the basis of admission to various universities such as Delhi University, the seat allocation process is also expected to continue till September.

Cancellations and re-scheduling of the Common University Entrance Test for undergraduate courses (CUET-UG) exams may delay the seat allocation process by several universities as the test for seats in the central universities will now go on till at least August 28. The CUET was earlier scheduled to get over on August 20..

So far, NTA officials have maintained that the results of CUET will be declared within ten days of completion of the exams. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has scheduled CUET-UG exams between August 24 and August 28 for candidates who were affected by cancellations last week amid technical glitches. Now, the results of the exam are expected to get delayed further.

With CUET scores forming the basis of admission to various universities such as Delhi University, the seat allocation process is also expected to continue till September. DU officials say that the beginning of the new session will depend on the declaration of CUET results and classes might begin in October. In a regular pre-pandemic year, DU used to start its new session in July.

DU registrar Vikas Gupta said that the Covid pandemic disrupted the academic cycle in the past two years. Gupta said that the varsity will strive to initiate the new session for the incoming first year students by October and streamline the cycle. “Last year, due to Covid, classes began in November. This year, we will try to start classes by October. We cannot deny the impact of Covid on academic activities. If it were not for the pandemic, NTA would have conducted CUET earlier. Everything from boards to CUET and subsequently beginning of classes is interlinked,” said Gupta.

Brushing aside criticism against CUET, he said that the CBSE results had been declared at the end of July and it usually took at least a month for the varsity to complete the education process. “In a routine year before the pandemic, our admissions would continue to take place till July and August. There might be a delay when compared with the routine cycle, but we will ensure that there is no academic loss for students,” said Gupta.

So far, NTA officials have maintained that the results of CUET will be declared within ten days of completion of the exams. With the last exam on August 28, the results might come out in the first week of September. The seat allocation is expected to take another month. Educators say that uncertainty was prevailing among students due to deferments and various issues afflicting the entrance examination process.

Abha Dev Habib, who teaches Physics at Miranda House, said the CUET had been carried out in a hurried manner and its extension on account of logistical issues would mean another delayed academic cycle for the university. Habib said that teachers at the varsity, particularly ad hoc teachers, had not taken a break in the past two years with classes for different semesters taking place at different times.

“Before the pandemic, classes for students in all years would start in July at the same time. Now there is staggered workload with teachers teaching and invigilating, all at the same time. The government should have ensured that the academic cycle inches back to normalcy but with CUET, we are again in an uncertain situation. It seems that classes will not start before November,” said Habib.