Students are experiencing growing enthusiasm for Delhi University's four-year undergraduate program. Humanities students are showing the highest participation, finding it beneficial for both research and career advancement.

This year, a significant shift is being witnessed among students at Delhi University (DU). Following the introduction of the new four-year undergraduate degree, the Four-Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP), a significant number of students are continuing their studies into the fourth year. Interestingly, the highest number of these students are from the Humanities, or Arts, Faculty.

At central and renowned colleges like Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram College (LSR), and Hindu College, approximately 40 percent of students have decided to continue their fourth year. Most of these students are from disciplines such as Political Science, History, Psychology, Hindi, and English.

According to the Delhi University administration, approximately 30 percent of undergraduate students have enrolled for the fourth year. However, this figure is not consistent across colleges. Colleges located in central areas have the highest student interest, while those in outlying areas have between 15 and 27 percent.

These Subjects Dominate

University officials say that humanities and social sciences have the highest student participation, while science courses have seen a lower number. This is because many science students pursue post-graduation at institutions like IITs or IISERs, where they have the opportunity to directly specialize.

Delhi University recently held a meeting with colleges to assess the smooth implementation of the new four-year program. Some colleges reported that very few students had enrolled for the fourth year in certain subjects, posing academic and administrative challenges. In such cases, the university has advised colleges to establish cluster systems, allowing students with similar majors to take joint classes with students from other colleges.

This is the hope

The DU administration hopes that student participation will increase in the future as they understand the long-term benefits of this course. This trend is particularly evident in popular colleges. At Miranda House, approximately 30 percent of students persist to the fourth year, at Hindu College approximately 38 percent, and at Lady Shri Ram College approximately 40 percent.

This number is significantly lower at off-campus colleges. Principals attribute this to the college's reputation, availability of resources, and distance from the center. However, some principals also see this as a positive aspect. They say that the smaller batches will allow them to gradually understand the new system and better implement it in the future. Faculty members say that students who persist to the fourth year fall into two main categories: those who could not secure admission to their desired postgraduate course, and those who are preparing for research or competitive exams.