Admission Process Has Become More Transparent and Accountable After CUET: Prof. Yogesh Singh
Colleges Advised to Revisit Seat Matrix for Better Allocation of Seats in Fewer Rounds
New Delhi, December 17.
Prof. Yogesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor, University of Delhi said that after CUET, the university's admission process has become more logical, transparent, and accountable with a centralized system. Now every stakeholder is aware of the status of every seat. In DU's CSAS admission system, every allocation is made public, for which a very scientific method is adopted. The Vice-Chancellor said that colleges have been advised to revisit their seat matrix for better allocation of seats in fewer rounds.
Regarding the vacant seats in undergraduate programs in some colleges, the Vice-Chancellor clarified that this is not due to CUET. Prof. Yogesh Singh clarified, based on the data from DU's admission branch, that even before CUET, when admissions were based on marks obtained in class XII, some seats remained vacant. He presented data from admissions in 2018, 2019 (before CUET/before Covid) and 2024, 2025 (after Covid), showing that in 2019, during merit-based admissions, only 68,213 out of the total 70,735 available undergraduate seats were filled, and 3.56% of the seats remained vacant. This time, in 2025, with the CUET-based admissions system, 72,229 admissions have been made against a total of 71,642 available seats. Thus, 0.65% more admissions have been made.
The Vice-Chancellor said that in 2019, there was an overall vacancy of 3.56% whereas over the years, in 2025, admissions are above the sanctioned strength. The comparison also highlights that the admissions pre-CUET could not be controlled owing to unpredictable cutoffs. Incidences have been identified where on a strength of 11 seats, 203 admissions were done, amounting to 1745% of over and above admissions. The aspect of over and under admissions is now controllable and manageable. The Colleges decide the extent of extra allocations that they would like to offer in each course to minimise the allocation rounds. This data is fed in the algorithm for systemic processes. The University can now make predictive analysis on the popularity of programs which will help in making policy decisions.
The Vice-Chancellor stated that the comparison of data reveals that earlier, in the cut-off system the admissions were granted to all the candidates who met the cut-off declared by the College. Thereby explaining that in those times not much attention could be given to the sanctioned seats. There were many instances of over and uncounted admissions to a particular programme. However, with the centralised system, based solely on the preferences submitted by the candidates, the system has become more logical, transparent and accountable. Now every stakeholder is aware of the status of each seat that is being taken, the CUET scores at which the allocations are done. In the CSAS system of admissions, each allocation is made public, thereby adopting a very scientific approach.
Prof. Yogesh Singh said that an advisory has also been given to all colleges to revisit their seat matrix and make proposals for filling the seats that remain vacant despite many rounds of allocations. Whereas the Colleges will see the possibilities of reshuffling their B.A. Program Combinations, the University is clear that no course will be closed. The exercise will be an attempt to fill the seats optimally in least possible allocation rounds.