DU admissions: Online registration likely from July 15

Online registration for admission to Delhi University’s undergraduate courses may begin on July 15, acting vice-chancellor of DU P C Joshi said on Thursday

Online registrations for admission to Delhi University’s undergraduate courses may begin on July 15, acting vice-chancellor PC Joshi said on Thursday, a significant delay compared to last year, when the registration process started on June 20.

Before the outbreak of Covid-19, the registration process for DU usually started in May. (HT Photos)

However, the university has still not been able to decide how the admissions will be conducted given that the Union government cancelled the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 exam earlier this week, citing the “health and safety” of students amid the pandemic.

“We plan to start the registration for the admission process on July 15. If the central government comes up with some other scheme, the dates might differ. We are anticipating that most state boards will not be going ahead with their final exams and may declare their results earlier. Hence, we are expecting to start the registration of students by July 15,” said Joshi.

Before the outbreak of Covid-19, the registration process for DU usually started in May. Last year, the university started the online admission process for 63 colleges on June 20 and announced the first cut-off on October 10 while classes started in November, thereby disrupting the entire academic cycle. The delay is expected to increase this year due to multiple reasons, including the anticipated third wave of the pandemic and the lack of clarity over admission procedure.

So far, DU has been following a merit-based admission process for its undergraduate courses and cut-offs are released based on the Class 12 marks. However, with the CBSE cancelling the Class 12 exams and the likely assessment of students based on their internal exams, many principals and stakeholders have recommended an alternative screening process for admission to DU colleges, including implementation of the Central Universities Common Entrance Test (CUCET).

Last December, the Union ministry of education had formed a committee to look into the modalities of a common entrance test for undergraduate courses at all central universities, in accordance with the National Education Policy, 2020. The committee has submitted its report and universities are currently waiting for the ministry’s response on it.

Rajeev Gupta, chairperson of admissions at DU, said, “In the next two weeks, we might get some clarity on whether CUCET will be conducted or whether the university will follow its old method of admission. July 15 is only a tentative date to begin registration of students,...following which the first cut-off will be declared around the third or last week of August,” he said.

If the entrance tests are conducted, the National Testing Agency will release the examination schedule, conduct the exams, and release the scores. “It is too early to say how those scores will be used as the university has to consult its statutory bodies like Admissions Committee, Standing Committee, and Academic Council,” Gupta said.