Delhi’s Jamia admitted students to 20 courses through CUET, says V-C

The courses include BA (Hons) History, BSc (Hons) Physics, BSc (Hons) Chemistry, MA (Persian), and MA (Sanskrit)

Jamia Millia Islamia has this year admitted students to 20 courses — 15 undergraduate programmes and five post-graduate programmes — on the basis of their Common University Entrance Test (CUET) score, up from the 15 programmes under the ambit of the centralised entrance exam, vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar said on Thursday.

Jamia Millia Islamia vice-chancellor Najma Akhtar. (HT Photo)

The courses for which students were admitted on the basis of their CUET score include BA (Hons) History, BSc (Hons) Physics, BSc (Hons) Chemistry, MA (Persian), and MA (Sanskrit). Students have been admitted to the remaining courses through the varsity’s usual entrance test procedure.

Speaking at a press conference, Akhtar said, “It was not mandatory for us to admit students through CUET, so we decided to start with a few courses. Last year, there were glitches in the exam. This year, it has been successfully implemented. We might consider implementing it for other courses as well from next year.”

Akhtar also said that the varsity will soon adopt the four-year undergraduate programme.

The V-C said Jamia’s admission process takes place before CUET. “Classes for other programmes have started since July 17. Since CUET was delayed, the admissions were delayed for these courses… Classes will commence soon.”

A Jamia official said 140,000 students applied to the university for the 269 undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate courses that the varsity offers. The official did not share the number of seats on offer at the university.

Akhtar also said that a medical institute will soon be set up inside the campus on a public-private partnership (PPP) and admissions will take place through NEET.

She said, “I had been working on the medical college for some time… Now we have finally received the approval from the Centre… We will be partnering with an organisation under the PPP mode. We are on the look-out for such a deal.”

An under-construction building inside the campus will be considered as a location for the institute. “We will start with 150 seats and then increase the number of seats,” Akhtar said.

She said talks are also on to have a hospital affiliated with the university, but is likely to be outside the campus.

Akhtar also announced that Jamia is in the process of establishing an overseas campus. “This is still in its planning stages,” she said.