Delhi University has approved a special admission process for Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College, allowing the two institutions to admit undergraduate students through a merit-based offline process. The decision aims to fill seats that remained vacant even after several rounds of admissions conducted through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) and the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS).
The move is a significant exception to Delhi University's regular undergraduate admission process, which is primarily based on CUET scores. Under this special arrangement, eligible students can apply for vacant seats using their Class 12 marks, subject to seat availability and the colleges' admission schedules.
As part of the special approval, Bhagini Nivedita College has invited applications for offline merit-based admissions to a range of undergraduate programmes, including BCom, BA, BSc, and other courses.
According to the college's admission notice dated August 1, candidates will be selected strictly on the basis of their Class 12 marks and the number of seats available in each programme. Interested students must submit their applications by August 5, while document verification and fee payment are scheduled for August 6 and 7.
The permission has been granted specifically to fill vacancies that remained unoccupied despite multiple rounds of the CUET-based admission process.
Officials from both colleges said they requested permission from the university after repeatedly witnessing vacant seats over the past few admission cycles.
According to college authorities, one of the major reasons behind the unfilled seats is their geographical location, along with the fact that both institutions are exclusively for women.
Bhagini Nivedita College stated that many seats remained vacant even after several rounds of CUET-based admissions, leading the institution to seek approval for a merit-based admission process.
Meanwhile, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, located in Bawana, said that nearly 40 per cent of its undergraduate seats have remained vacant in recent years despite the CUET admission system.
College authorities also pointed out that several students from nearby rural areas, especially female candidates, often do not register for CUET because of concerns about travelling far from home. As a result, many academically strong students with good Class 12 scores are unable to secure admission.
The colleges have clarified that CUET will continue to remain the university's primary admission route and that the offline merit-based process is only a one-time measure to fill vacant seats after the completion of the regular admission rounds.
The special approval has attracted criticism from the Indian National Teachers Congress (INTEC), which believes that a common policy should be adopted across all Delhi University colleges.
The organisation has urged the university to introduce a transparent and uniform mechanism for filling vacant undergraduate seats instead of limiting the facility to only two colleges.
INTEC has also written to the vice-chancellor requesting that the university frame a common admission policy for such cases to ensure equal treatment for all affiliated colleges.
