DU Colleges Offer Merit Admissions: A Second Chance?

Delhi University colleges are expanding merit-based admissions using Class 12 marks to fill seats that remain vacant after the CUET-based admission process. Shyam Lal College, Rajdhani College, and Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening) have opened applications for specific undergraduate programs.

These three colleges are accepting applications for selected courses in subjects like Chemistry, Hindi, Sanskrit, Physics, Persian, Urdu, and more. The application deadlines vary, with Shyam Lal College closing on August 21, Rajdhani College on August 24, and Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening) on August 23. Merit lists and subsequent admission formalities are scheduled to follow in late August.

This development comes after Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College were previously permitted to use Class 12 marks for vacant seats. While intended to prevent seats from remaining unfilled, the practice has drawn criticism from some teachers for creating a potential parallel admission route outside the primary CUET system. The issue is particularly pertinent for off-campus colleges that historically struggle to attract sufficient student numbers.