DU principals flag low enrolment, seek selective implementation of fourth-year courses

The Delhi University Principals' Association (DUPA) has urged the University of Delhi to rationalise the implementation of fourth-year undergraduate (UG) programmes. This comes after the association considered low student enrollment for the 2026-27 academic session. In a letter addressed to the Dean of Colleges, University of Delhi, DUPA said that around 30 per cent of students opted for the fourth year of the UG programme during the 2025-26 academic session, however, the response for 2026-27 academic year has been significantly lower.

"Based on the enrolment data for the Academic Year 2025-2026, approximately 30% of students opted for the fourth year of the Undergraduate Programme. However, for the Academic Year 2026-2027, only a limited number of students have, thus far, expressed interest in continuing to the fourth year," the letter stated.

"Discussions with the Principals of various colleges of the University of Delhi indicate that it may not be financially, academically, or administratively feasible for every college to offer all fourth-year programmes, particularly where student enrolment is very low," the letter further reads.

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To address the issue, DUPA has proposed a cluster-based approach under which selected colleges could be designated to offer specific fourth-year undergraduate programmes based on available infrastructure, faculty strength, academic resources and student demand. DUPA believes such rationalisation would help optimise the utilisation of available resources while ensuring the quality and long-term sustainability of the programmes.

The representation has been sent to the Dean of Colleges, with copies marked to the Dean Academic and the Registrar of the University of Delhi.

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Delhi University changes credit pattern

University of Delhi has revised the credit structure for fourth-year undergraduate students under the UGCF 2022 from the 2026-27 academic session. Four credits earlier assigned to Discipline Specific Core (DSC) courses will now be added to dissertation, academic project and entrepreneurship tracks. This has increased the credit value from six to 10 per semester. The university has also restructured semester 7 and 8 course options.