Over 70% Delhi University students opt to continue into 4th yr under new FYUP

The university’s portal allowing students to opt out of the fourth year will remain open until the academic session begins on August 1

A week ahead of Delhi University’s (DU) first fourth-year undergraduate batch beginning, over 70% of third-year students have chosen to stay on for the additional year under the new curriculum, university officials said on Thursday. The data is provisional as of July 24.

Delhi University. (HT Archive)

DU dean of academic affairs Ratnabali K told HT, “While the final data will reveal more accurate trends, initial observations show that peripheral colleges have recorded higher retention rates in the fourth year, whereas top-ranking colleges have slightly lower retention. One reason could be that students in these institutions are more likely to pursue the traditional postgraduate route.”

The university’s portal allowing students to opt out of the fourth year will remain open until the academic session begins on August 1.

DU vice chancellor Yogesh Singh said, “While the portal for opting out of fourth year is still open, as of now, 20,221 students have decided to exit out of the 72,000 seats.”

Under the new Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), introduced in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), students have the option of exiting after three years with an honours degree or continuing into the fourth year for a research-based honours degree.

At Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, principal Arun Kumar Attree said that 50–52% of third-year students have opted to continue. A senior faculty member added, “We’ve seen the highest retention in BA (Hons) Geography, English, and Economics. The reasons could vary, and we’ll get a clearer picture once trends are studied.”

Similarly, Kirori Mal College (KMC) principal Dinesh Khattar said that over 50% of students have chosen to continue. Ramjas College reported a comparable trend, with around 45% of students opting for the fourth year under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF).

At Lady Shri Ram College for Women, about 60–70% of students are continuing. “In Psychology (Hons), the retention is even higher — around 80%,” a senior official said.

Ramjas principal Ajay Kumar Arora noted, “Courses like Chemistry (Hons) have seen stronger interest in continuing, while programmes such as BSc in Physical Sciences with Electronics have had lower uptake.”

Colleges ramp up infrastructure

One of the long-standing concerns among DU faculty has been the lack of infrastructure to accommodate a four-year undergraduate system. While the university administration has consistently assured readiness, colleges are now actively preparing for the shift.

At Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, officials said, “We are undertaking several infrastructure and academic upgrades to ensure a smooth transition. These include a new multipurpose cum sports hall for academic and co-curricular activities, an air-conditioned reading hall with e-resources, new computer labs, and activity rooms to support skill-based and experiential learning.”

The college is also constructing 25 additional classrooms across various blocks.

Ramjas College is updating laboratory equipment to align with the revised curriculum, though classes will initially be adjusted within existing resources. KMC is also adding eight classrooms to expand its capacity, principal Khattar said.