New Delhi : Delhi University announced on Wednesday the much-awaited first list of seat allocations for admission to undergraduate programmes bringing joy to many successful aspirants while the wait for admission to their preferred college continued for several others.
The list was scheduled to be announced on October 18 but was deferred by a day, as the Supreme Court was set to hear on Wednesday the plea of St Stephen's college against a High Court's order. The apex court's refusal to stay Delhi High Court's decision that asked St Stephen's College to follow the university's admission policy was welcomed by the DU. It also ensured that the seat allocation list was released on Wednesday evening without further delay.
"The first round of the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) of the University of Delhi has been released today," said DU's Dean of Admission Haneet Gandhi. There were mixed reactions to the list, with those who got through, saying that the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) has come as a boon for them, while the others who did not felt completely at sea.
Colleges said that this time the process for them is simpler since they do not have to decide on cut-offs and worry about over-admissions. Sudhanshu Maddheshiya, who was hoping that CUET will be his "saviour", got a seat in Rajdhani College in his choice of course.
"I am from the Uttar Pradesh Board and did not score well in Class 12. If admissions would have been conducted based on Class 12 scores, it would have been difficult for me to get a seat in DU but CUET allowed me to prove myself," he said. Anjali Bhardwaj, the mother of a DU aspirant, was delighted that her daughter, who had chosen Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) as her first preference, got the seat.
"My daughter had chosen LSR as her first preference for studying BA (Honours) Political Science and she has secured a place there. It was her dream to study Political Science in LSR and that has come true. There was uncertainty over CUET and the admission process but now that has ended. My daughter had taken admission elsewhere but now she will join DU," she said.
While there are around 70,000 seats, more than 1.5 lakh applicants have marked their college and course preferences till the last date for phase II last week. However, the university did not say how many students have been allotted courses and colleges. The allocation list has not been issued in the public domain and the candidate will only be able to see the college and courses allotted to them on their dashboard.
The result of CUET, which was conducted for the first time, also left many students disappointed as either they couldn't get into the desired college or did not make it to the first list of seat allocations for undergraduate programmes. The students have been given a three-day window from October 19 to October 21 to "accept" the allocated seat.
The provision for acceptance of a particular allocated seat will be valid only for the round in which the seat was allocated to the candidate. The colleges will be able to verify and approve the online applications from October 19 to October 22. For the first round of CSAS allocation and admission, the last date for online payment of admission fees is October 24. The students who did not get any seat were in a fix whether they would be able to secure admission in coming rounds.
"I had chosen BA(honours) Economics as my first choice and SRCC, Hindu and St Stephen's as my top three preferences. But my name has not appeared on the first list. I am waiting for the second list now. I am worried whether I will get through or not. Already, CUET had left us in the lurch and now we await clarity," said Vipul Mishra.
For college authorities, the new system has freed them from declaring cut-offs and the brainstorming required to decide on it. Manoj Sinha, principal of Aryabhatta College, said, "It is simpler for colleges and students. Sitting within the comfort of their home they can decide and discuss with their peers which college and course to choose. There are lesser chances of over-admissions since Delhi University will be allocating seats," he said.
Till last year, DU carried out admissions based on cut-off marks and colleges had to admit students meeting those even if that meant admitting 100 students for 20 seats. Principals said that scenario is a thing of the past now. Manoj Khanna, the principal of Ramjas College, said, "DU is carrying out the counselling and we will get a list of say 90 or 100 students against 70 seats."
"Earlier, the numbers were like say 400. We were doing the admissions and also cancelling them in case students withdrew. This time, the numbers are lower and admissions will be sure shot and there will be fewer cancellations," he said.
