Explained: DU meet to decide on CUET, this is how new system of undergraduate admissions will work

What has the Standing Committee’s proposal on CUET recommended?

As per the minutes of the meeting of the Standing Committee, which met on March 17, candidates need to only have passed the Class 12 Board exams to sit for CUET. According to the minutes, the members said that it would not be feasible to include any other criterion based on marks obtained in the Board examinations, and that the eligibility criterion must be inclusive.

“Minimum criteria should be rephrased as the candidates must have passed the Class XII examination or equivalent thereto from a single recognised board,” read the minutes of the meeting.

The members have suggested that candidates must appear in CUET in only those subjects in which they have cleared Class 12. In case the subject studied in Class 12 is not mentioned in CUET, the proposal is that candidates must appear in one that is similar or closely related to the subject they have studied in Class 12.

“Merit will be calculated on the basis of a combination of subjects in which a candidate has appeared in CUET as mentioned in the programme-specific eligibility,” the minutes read.

As per the recommendations, merit will be calculated based only on the combination of subjects in which a candidate has appeared in CUET.

What will be the structure of CUET?

According to the tentative structure of CUET, there will be three sections.

Section I will have questions on reading comprehension, verbal ability, synonyms and antonyms. Candidates can opt for one out of 13 languages for this section.

Section II will be subject-specific — 27 subjects have been listed so far under it.

Section III will have two sub-sections, comprising general tests for vocational and open eligibility programmes.

DU officials said that as per the National Testing Agency (NTA), which will conduct the exams, the exams will be held in two shifts. In the first shift candidates will appear for Section I (languages), two chosen domain subjects, and the general test, while in the second shift, candidates will appear for four other domain subjects.

What will be the eligibility criteria? Will there be a problem in changing streams?

DU has released subject-wise eligibility criteria which it says will make admissions more inclusive. Officials have denied that sitting for the CUET in the subjects that one has opted for in Class 12, will create any problem in changing streams.

For most subjects, the criteria remain: one language, and three subjects, which was the criteria earlier for calculating the best-of-four percentage. For some subjects, the criterion is subject-specific.

For example, the criteria for BA (Hons) in Chemistry is currently 55% or more marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Maths, and 50% or more marks in one compulsory language. Under CUET, candidates will be selected based on their combined entrance score in Physics, Chemistry and Maths.

For BA Programme combinations, the Standing Committee said that all combinations may be offered “unless the combinations get modified in the light of NEP-2020/UGCF-2022…”

DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said the subjects in which a candidate appears for CUET will not create any problem in changing streams. “Our admission criteria is far more flexible now. The eligibility criteria makes it very clear that no student will face any problem in changing streams. In fact, earlier students would face some deduction in the best-of-four percentage if they wanted to change streams. That will no longer happen,” he said.

What happens to minority colleges?

For minority colleges like St Stephen’s and Jesus and Mary College too, the proposal is to stick to CUET. Minority colleges also include a number of Sikh colleges such as SGTB Khalsa College in North Campus. “During centralised counselling, separate merit lists will be generated for UR and minority candidates as per the reservation policy,” the minutes read.

It has also been suggested that admission to all supernumerary seats, excluding foreign students, be done through CUET. For courses under the faculty of music and fine arts, and B.Sc in physical education and sports, combined CUET score and performance-based test, with 50 per cent weightage to both, will be given.

However, for the School of Open Learning (SOL) and the Non-Collegiate Women Education Board (NCWEB), admissions will be conducted as earlier.

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Will admissions to postgraduate and PhD courses also be done under CUET?

No. DU has already clarified that like earlier, admissions to postgraduate and PhD courses will continue to be held through the DU Entrance Test (DUET), which too is conducted by the NTA.

“The Committee decided that the eligibility and seat matrix for PG programmes for academic session 2022-23 will remain the same; however, certain relaxations in the eligibility condition may be given in the light of NEP, with due approval from the statutory bodies,” the minutes read.