No entrance exam for Delhi University, admission based on cut-off: HRD Minister

Prakash Javadekar said that the admissions will be done based on class 12 marks secured by the applicant. The high cut-offs for admission to the Delhi University have often received flak.

Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar (center) with the director general of NTA Vineet Joshi. (Express Photo)

A day after the University of Delhi (DU) administration announced to conduct the entrance exam for admission to the varsity, the Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar said today that the admissions will be conducted based on class 12 marks.

The move was hailed by many academicians stating that having an entrance exam will also give a chance to students with lesser marks to secure admission in the Delhi University. As reported by the Indian express earlier, the entrance exam move was not welcomed by the DU teachers association.

Alleging that the plan was a move towards privatisation and contractualisation of the varsity, teachers’ group, Academics for Action and Development, called it a “conspiracy to deprive students from SC/ST/OBC, rural and underprivileged segments of society who are not in a position… to perform well in these examinations”.

Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), president, Rajib Ray told indianexpress.com, “DU is a central university and there are procedures to be followed. Neither vice-chancellor nor HRD can decide in isolation about the entrance criteria. Procedurally, an ordinance needs to be proposed to the academic council and the decision will be taken thereafter. ”

He also said that some departments of the university might want the entrance while some might go with the cut-off marks as the selection criteria. Stating that several state boards have been alleged of spiking of marks, Ray adds, “Du admission process should not differentiate between any student irrespective of state or board the students belongs to.”

Earlier, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) had also declared that they will be having an online entrance exam for admission to the varsity. While JNU has released on its official website that the National Testing Agency (NTA) will be conducting the exam, Javadekar while addressing reporters at NTA, Noida headquarters said that nothing is final as of yet and the NTA and JNU are still in talks regarding the same.

The indianexpress.com is awaiting a response from the Delhi University Vice-Chancellor.