DU reduces extra seats allocation in colleges with low admission withdrawal

To avoid overcrowding in classes, the Delhi University has cut down the extra allocation of seats in undergraduate courses in colleges with a low admission withdrawal rate, officials said on Wednesday.

The existing 30 per cent reservation for “extra students” in the SC/ST and Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) categories will be reduced to 15 per cent in colleges with a withdrawal rate that is below 5 per cent, they said.

Similarly, only 10 per cent of extra admissions will be done in the General, OBC and EWS categories in such colleges against last year’s 20 per cent.

Delhi University Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh said the Shri Ram College of Commerce is among the colleges with a low admission withdrawal rate.

To fill the maximum number of seats, the DU last year admitted 20 per cent extra students for each programme in each college under the General, OBC and EWS categories and 30 per cent in the SC/ST/PwBD categories.

For colleges with a withdrawal rate of more than 5 per cent, the pre-existing formula will apply, they said.

The University of Delhi announced its policies and launch of admission to its various Undergraduate, Postgraduate and PhD programmes for the academic session 2023-24 on Wednesday. Examination portal — CSAS (UG) — was also launched on the occasion.

The university offers 78 undergraduate programmes and 198 BA programme combinations through its 68 colleges, the vice chancellor announced.

There are close to 71,000 seats offered in the colleges. About 1,550 unique programmes and other college combinations are offered by the university.

This year, like the last year, the admission into 78 undergraduate programmes and 198 BA programme combinations offered in 68 colleges will take place through the Common University Entrance Test (UG).

“To achieve optimal seat allocation and to avoid the situation wherein seats become vacant due to dropouts, in the first round of allotment, 20 per cent extra allotments will be done in UR, OBC-NCL, EWS categories and 30 per cent extra allotments will be done in SC, ST and PwBD categories for all programmes in all colleges,” Singh said.

“However, colleges where last year the withdrawals were less than 5 per cent of the sanctioned strength, 10 per cent extra allotments may be done for UR/OBC(NCL)/EWS and 15% in SC/ST/PwBD categories,” he added.

There are 26 games/sports under its Sports Supernumerary Quota and 14 categories (including NSS and NCC) under the ECA quota, Singh announced.

“Five per cent of the total sanctioned strength of the college shall be allocated for ECA and sports supernumerary quota of a college. The college can allocate between 1 per cent and 4 per cent to ECA and sports subject to a maximum of 5 per cent intake of the college,” Singh said.

“In addition, not more than 20 per cent of the earmarked seats of a quota shall be allocated to a single programme for admissions to ECA and Sports Supernumerary Quota, Combined ECA Merit (CEM) and Combined Sports Merit (CSM) will be the basis for seat allocation. Candidates must select the programme and college in which they wish to seek admission under ECA and Sports,” he added.

Other supernumerary quotas include PwBD; Children/widows of Personnel of the Armed Forces (CW); Kashmiri Migrants (KM); Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for J&K Students (PMSSS) and Nomination of seats for Sikkimese Students (SS), Orphans.