'From -19 to zero': Delhi University PG cut-off 2025 shows alarming drop in demand

The University of Delhi has admitted students to several postgraduate (PG) courses with “negative cut-offs” and even “zero” marks — meaning candidates who scored below or just at the minimum qualifying threshold were offered admission. Despite being one of the most sought-after central universities in India, these trends highlight either low demand or challenges in filling seats across certain programmes.

DU PG round 1 cut-offs were set at exactly zero for six courses and in the negative for five. In round 2, cut-offs for four additional programmes were also set in the negative.

Admission to all PG programmes at Delhi University and Non-Collegiate Women Education Board (NCWEB) will be based on the scores obtained in Common University Entrance Test (PG) 2025. The university had announced that the minimum allocation score may vary due to “reconciliations, withdrawals, cancellations, and redressal of grievances”.

All candidates will be considered in the common merit list, however, for category 2, only students of DU will be considered as per program-specific eligibility.

As per the selection criteria, for candidates belonging to unreserved (UR), OBC-NCL, EWS categories should have obtained a minimum of 50% marks in aggregate or equivalent grade in the qualifying examination as per the program-specific eligibility. Those belonging to SC, ST, and PwBD should have secured at least 45% marks in aggregate.

Also read 10% OBC students miss DU admissions due to procedural delays; academics seek 15-20 day grace period

DU allows entry with zero, negative cut-offs

MA Arabic at Zakir Husain Delhi College and MA Buddhist Studies at the Department of Buddhist Studies allowed UR candidates with -5 and -10 marks, respectively, in both rounds. The MSc Informatics cut-off at the Institute of Informatics and Communication for SC candidates also remained unchanged at -4 across both rounds.

Notably, MA Persian at DU’s Department of Persian — which had the lowest cut-off of -19 in round 1 — saw a sharp improvement, rising to 23 in round 2. Similarly, the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board (NCWEB), which had set the MA Philosophy cut-off at zero in round 1, closed admissions at 39 in the second round.

Shockingly, Hansraj College - one of the popular DU colleges - also closed the round 1 cut-off for MSc Chemistry for SC candidates at -3.