Ahead of framework change, Delhi University to promote 11,000 PG students

The University of Delhi (DU) has decided to promote all students enrolled in 2024-25 postgraduate cohort to the second year, including those who failed, missed or did not appear for the first year exams. The decision covers around 11,000 students from over 80 PG courses, after DU prepares to scrap its old curriculum pattern and shift to the new National Education Policy-aligned academic framework, PGCF-2, starting next year onwards.

According to several media reports, the 2024-25 batch is the final cohort to follow the outgoing choice-based credit system and learning outcome–based curriculum framework.

These will be discontinued once the new postgraduate curriculum framework is introduced in the 2025-26 academic year.

Delhi University explained that retaining the 2024-25 cohort in the first year would leave them stuck between two incompatible academic structures, with no feasible way to continue under a curriculum that will no longer exist. The decision has been termed a “one-time relaxation” to avoid this problem.

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One-time relaxation for DU PG students

Under this relaxation, students who did not submit their exam forms after the first semester, who failed in either the first or second semester, or were unable to pursue their studies “for any reason” will be allowed to progress to the third semester as regular students.

Students will also be permitted to complete their pending semester 1 and 2 exams alongside their semester 3 and 4 exams. DU officials said that such academic flexibility was necessary given the ongoing structural overhaul.

With the new framework set to replace the current system, students repeating the first year would otherwise end up out of sync with the curriculum and the papers they had already studied. The notice adds that the span period — the maximum duration permitted to finish a degree — will remain unchanged. All colleges, department heads, and the controller of examinations have been instructed to implement the circular immediately.