The University of Delhi has clarified the purpose of its decision to permit select colleges to admit undergraduate students based on Class 12 marks, saying the arrangement is meant to fill remaining vacant seats and is separate from the regular CUET-based admission process. DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said students who applied through CUET have already received college and course allocations based on their merit and preferences.
The clarification comes after DU allowed 11 colleges to offer admissions on the basis of Class 12 marks for certain programmes where seats remain vacant. The university’s official admission portal also lists UG admissions based on Class XII marks as a separate admission route for 2026-27.
CUET Applicants Have Already Received Their Preferred Choices
Explaining how the regular admission system works, Gupta said CUET candidates are allowed to indicate their preferred colleges and courses from a large pool of options. Admissions are then determined according to their CUET performance and the preferences they have submitted.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “When admission happens via CUET, we prioritise the student’s choice; they select their preferred college and course from a pool of around 1,500 options. Students make their own choices–some opt for colleges near the campus, while others choose those on the outskirts, such as Jesus and Mary, Maitreyi, Gargi, or Kamala Nehru. We prioritise the highest marks obtained in the exam. They receive their preferred college based on that ranking.”
According to the registrar, the Class 12-based admission option should therefore not be viewed as a replacement for the CUET admission system.
Why Is DU Allowing Admissions Based On Class 12 Marks?
The university has introduced the alternative route because some undergraduate seats remain vacant after the regular admission process. The permission applies only to specified colleges and programmes where seats are available.
Gupta explained that DU has already completed the vast majority of admissions against its undergraduate capacity. The university had around 71,000 seats, while more than 70,500 admissions had already been completed.
He said, “We had around 71,000 seats, and approximately 70,500 admissions have already been completed. You might wonder why we are allowing further admissions when the gap is so small. The fact is, we have occasionally made excess allocations within colleges to ensure the academic session starts on time. Additionally, we have various supernumerary quotas–such as the CW (Armed Forces) quota, ECA, and sports categories. Taking all of this into account, we have reached a total of 70,512 admissions against a total capacity of around 71,439 seats,”
Which Colleges Are Offering Class 12-Based Admissions?
DU’s public notice covers 11 colleges for the Class 12 merit-based admission route. These include Kalindi College, Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening), Lakshmibai College, Rajdh College, Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women, P.G.D.A.V. (Evening), Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Vivekanand College, Shyam Lal College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College.
The university has stated that admissions under this route are subject to the eligibility requirements of the respective course and the availability of seats.
The notice states, “Admissions in certain colleges have been started on the basis of merit of CLASS XII marks, subject to meeting the eligibility criteria.”
CUET-Admitted Students Cannot Switch Through This Route
For students who have already secured admission through DU’s regular admission process, the Class 12-based option does not provide another opportunity to seek admission to a different college or course.
The registrar said, “As for the students admitted based on Class 12 marks, every student who applied via CUET has already received their preferred college and course based on merit; the Class 12-based admissions are a separate matter. The condition is simply that they can only seek admission to the specific courses and colleges where seats are currently available. However, admission is still based on merit; the colleges will invite applications and then finalise admissions according to merit and seat availability.”
The university’s notice also makes the restriction clear, stating, “No candidate who has an admission in any college of the University shall be eligible to take admission on the basis of merit of Class XII marks,” while directing applicants to check individual college websites for further details.
What Should Students Do Now?
Students interested in the non-CUET admission option should first check whether their preferred course and college are among those permitted to make Class 12-based admissions. They should also verify the eligibility requirements, vacant seats and application procedure directly with the concerned college.
DU’s official admission portal currently lists the Class XII marks-based UG admission option separately from the regular CSAS admission process and continues to provide updates on UG allocations and admissions for the 2026-27 academic session.
For CUET applicants who have already received an allocation, the registrar’s clarification indicates that the new Class 12 route is not an additional preference-upgradation mechanism. It is a separate measure intended to utilise remaining seats in specified programmes and colleges.
