Teachers slam DU for 'communal and casteist' admission form; university says 'inadvertent error'

NEW DELHI: The Delhi University's undergraduate admission forms for the 2025-26 session has sparked a controversy, with members of the teachers' association and other statutory bodies accusing it of promoting "communal and casteist bias."

Meanwhile, the university said it was an "inadvertent error". In a response posted on its official X handle on June 21, the university stated, "The University of Delhi sincerely regrets the inadvertent error in its admission form.

We acknowledge your concerns and are committed to addressing them. However, attributing ulterior motives to this entirely unintentional oversight is unwarranted. We request all not to vitiate the university's diverse and harmonious environment."

In a letter addressed to Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh, several members of the Academic Council, Executive Council, and DUTA Executive -- under the Democratic Teachers' Front (DTF) --” expressed "shock and dismay" over what they called "unconstitutional and divisive queries" in the online registration form .

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DU UG admission form row

The faculty members highlighted that the form included 'Muslim' as a mother tongue while excluding 'Urdu', a constitutionally recognised language. "Replacing 'Urdu' with 'Muslim' implies that Urdu is spoken only by Muslims and not by others, and as if Muslims do not speak other languages of the country," the letter stated, calling it a "malafide attempt to legitimise the marginalisation of a community."

The letter also criticised the absence of Bangla, the inclusion of casteist terms such as 'mochi' and 'chamari', and the categorisation of 'Bihari' as a language. "The deliberate and motivated usage of the term 'Bihari' ... smacks of regional prejudice," it said.

The faculty further objected to the collection of sub-caste details, calling it an "overreach" with "no locus standi." Rejecting Delhi University's earlier statement that the issue was an "inadvertent error," the letter said such actions "cannot be dismissed as mere clerical errors," and demanded a full enquiry, accountability and public apology.