Top News

Delhi University is mulling plans to close or restructure several low-demand undergraduate programmes. An internal review of admissions, submitted to college principals last week, revealed persistent vacancies in some courses and colleges.

The university identified the programmes with the lowest student response based on the latest, or 2025–26, CUET-based admission trends. This data was compared to the 2019 admission cycle—when DU still followed the Class XII merit-based system—to argue that the current vacancy pattern is due to varying demand over the years, rather than the introduction of CUET, according to ToI.

The university used one to categorize the program "preference-to-seat ratio".

The two courses having the ratio of less than 50 could be discontinued, while courses with the ratio between 50 and 100 may see seats being redistributed. The high demand programmes, with a ratio of more than 200, are being proposed to be expanded. As per the data available, OMSP (Office Management and Secretarial Practice) and many BA programme combinations were in the low demand category.

Colleges have now been asked to review programmes which have received consistently poor admissions and submit a report by Monday. "All colleges have been asked to examine underperforming courses and begin the process of phasing them out," said the principal of a college in the South Campus, on condition of anonymity.

Four colleges - Aditi Mahavidyalaya, Bhagini Nivedita College, Swami Shraddhanand College and Zakir Hussain Evening College-have been cited as examples where the seat fill-up is the lowest and cancellations are the highest. As per the review, Aditi Mahavidyalaya enrolled 606 students against the 1,010 sanctioned seats while Bhagini Nivedita enrolled 359 against its 985 seats. The university said both colleges offer a number of BA programme combinations but offer fewer honours courses.

Another principal present in the meeting revealed that most of the BA programme combinations are no longer attractive to applicants.

"Some colleges have introduced combinations that don't attract students, while they offer no Honours courses at all. They were advised to weed out such combinations and retain only academically meaningful ones," the principal said, as quoted by ToI.

Stream-wise data revealed that commerce courses and a number of BA Honours programmes were in good demand, many of which received applications beyond approved capacity. Language programmes had the least response, with only about 81 per cent of the seats filled - the lowest among all streams. Officials said that restructuring is likely to be implemented from the next academic year forward to simplify the processes and improve seat utilisation.

Education has become an endurance test for more than 50 school and college-going students of Pachedoddi, a small village near Hanur taluk of Chamarajanagar district.

With no bus connectivity and no proper road linking their village to the nearby towns, students take a punishing 14 km walk each day. They trek 7 km to schools in Ajjipura, Ramanapura and Hanur, and another 7 km to return home.

The road goes through thick patches of forests besides uneven and unpaved mud roads that become treacherous during monsoon.

The fear of encounters with wild animals is always there as the region comes under the Male Mahadeshwara Wildlife Division, where the death of a tiger and the frequent movement of wildlife were reported only recently.

Children of Pachedoddi cry for CM's attention

Long walks to and from school, which few other children of their age are put through, have been forced upon them by lack of reliable transport. Once at school, they grow very tired, with many hardly able to concentrate in class.

"Our parents brought the issue to the notice of authorities but in vain. We have now written to the chief minister, " said a student of the village who along with a few of her friends wrote the letter.

Over the years, innumerable ministers, people's representatives, and officials of the department of education have come to Pachedoddi, promising to bring about a solution, but improvements like a proper road and regular bus service have been pending for far too long.

Recently, the students recorded a video of their struggle and circulated it on social media in a bid to catch the attention of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, but the effort did not yield any result. Despite hardship, the children of Pachedoddi are still pursuing education.

BHU vice-chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi underlined the importance of Kashi Tamil Sangamam and how it is facilitating mutual interaction between the people of the South and the North.

He pointed out that frequent exchanges would be required in order to create mutual understanding and underlined the fact that similarities within the states of India in no way reduce diversity, rather reinforce the very essence of Indian identity.

He lauded the role of KTS in furthering the vision of Viksit Bharat and made particular reference to the ‘Shabd’, an AI-based translation tool which simultaneously translated his remarks into Tamil and Hindi. The VC reiterated that KTS reminds us of the basic philosophy and intent of the program-to celebrate unity and "the many different ways in which we are one."

Prof Chaturvedi presided over the session hosted by BHU as part of the 4th edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam on "Kashi in Tamil Imagination: Mahakavi Subramania Bharati and His Legacy". The first academic session of KTS 4.0 saw experts underlining the deep connections between the two ancient cultures of Kashi and Tamil Nadu, which the Sangamam celebrates with grandeur.

A 200-member delegation from Tamil Nadu comprising students attended the session upon arrival at the university campus.

He said Indians needed to internalize this civilizational unity, an echo of which is heard in the Vishnu Purana, and such programs as KTS help reinforce it. Delivering the keynote address, Prof R Meganathan from the National Council of Educational Research and Training spoke on the ideals of Shakti, Bhakti, and knowledge espoused by Mahakavi Subramania Bharati. The work, philosophy, and life of Bharati were discussed at length to bring forth how this iconic figure of Tamil literature had advocated the cause of national unity and shared Indian identity. He discussed Bharati’s poem “Achamillai, Achamillai, Achamenba Thillaiye” (“Fear not, fear not, there is no such thing as fear”), his nationalism and universality, and his intellectual engagement with Sri Aurobindo.

 In tune with the theme of KTS 4.0—“Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam”—Prof Meganathan spoke about various initiatives promoting Tamil language learning among non-Tamil-speaking populations. He also presented an NCERT documentary on Bharati, noting the poet’s command of more than 25 languages and his work as a nationalist, writer, journalist, and freedom fighter. He showcased a Tamil language tutorial developed by NCERT. Prof Meganathan said that all Indians should know a third language. He concluded with a poem he wrote about Subramania Bharati in which he talks about Bharati’s poetry, its social impact, and especially its impact on nationalist feelings of the people. Welcoming the guests, Prof PV Rajeev from the Institute of Management Studies, BHU, introduced the audience to Kashi Tamil Sangamam and gave an overview of Banaras Hindu University to Tamil students and teachers.

The private unaided schools in Delhi have started the Nursery, KG and Class 1 admission process for the academic year 2026–27. Application forms will go live on December 4, and the process will run till December 27.

The DoE had released the overall schedule last week, instructing each school to declare in advance its admission criteria, point allocation, and seat availability on their websites as well as the DoE portal.

But even as schools uploaded their individual 100-point frameworks, proximity once again emerged as the most decisive factor in selections -while parents' groups voiced concern about staggered disclosures, age-eligibility inconsistencies and the lack of a centralized dashboard.

Proximity dominates point systems

While the highest weightage across most major private schools has been assigned to the distance between the applicant's home and the school, institutions have continued the long-standing practice of giving paramount importance to neighbourhood access well above other parameters such as sibling preference, alumni status, gender considerations, or staff affiliation.

At Mount Abu Public School in Rohini, proximity accounts for 80 points out of the total 100. Siblings receive 10 points, girl or single-child applicants receive five and alumni or staff wards get another five. Principal Jyoti Arora was quoted as saying by HT, “Distance continues to carry the highest weightage, followed by sibling and alumni and staff links,” stating that the school tries to promote gender equality and incentivise families “to empower their daughters through quality education.”

Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, has similarly put neighbourhood proximity at the top. Principal Alka Kapur said the neighbourhood category carries maximum weightage because proximity ensures ease of access, safety and stronger community linkage for young learners. She added that sibling and alumni categories are weighted next since family association serves as "a significant indicator of continuity and engagement."

Other well-known schools including Venkateshwar International School, The Shri Ram School and Sanskriti School have implemented similar hierarchies in their 100-point matrices, HT reports.

Minority school uses religious criteria and catchment area

It is reported that St Michael's Senior Secondary School has taken a decidedly different approach, setting aside 40 points for practising Christians. It allots 30 points for neighbourhood distance, 20 points for alumni links and 10 points for siblings.

The school, which is a recognized Christian minority institution, requires both parents to be practising Christians to avail points on the basis of faith. To verify this fact, applicants should possess knowledge of “basic catechism”. “Christian parents are expected to know basic catechism to prove that they are practising Christians,” the school states.

Parents frustrated by staggered disclosure and mixed age norms

While many schools posted their criteria quickly, several had yet to publish, leaving families with a series of rolling uncertainties. The DoE’s directive on November 22 said when schools could start publishing criteria but did not mention a deadline for ending the process, forcing parents to check individual websites repeatedly.

"This creates unnecessary friction for parents who must continually check separate school portals for information," Delhi School Parents Association president Aparajita Gautam was quoted as saying by HT. She cited that such confusion would not have arisen if the DoE managed a single-window system: "The government should adopt a single-window system so points criteria and age norms for all schools are listed under one unified head."

Gautam also pointed to inconsistencies in age requirements. Though the DoE has directed schools to follow the 3+ eligibility norm in accordance with NEP 2020, some still list the minimum four-year age for Nursery admissions. “This only compounds the confusion,” she said.

Revised age norms and key deadlines to be followed by parents

The 2026–27 cycle will be the second year of the implementation of Delhi’s NEP-aligned foundational stage age criteria. As per the guidelines available at edudel.nic.in, for Nursery, the child should be three years old but not more than four years as on March 31, 2026.

In the case of KG, a child has to attain the age of at least four years but less than five, while for Class 1, the child has to be at least five but less than six years old. Children who are already enrolled in Nursery or KG during 2025–26 will automatically get a promotion to the next level, so only new applicants need to be within the specified age limits.

The DoE has also capped the registration fee at Rs 25 and prohibited the collection of capitation fees or mandatory prospectus charges.

How the point system and draw of lots work

Each private unaided school is supposed to declare its selection criteria and the points it assigns to each category. Schools consider factors like distance between home and school, sibling studying in the same school, parent being an alumnus and applicant being the ward of staff. Distance is said to be the category attracting the highest weightage continuously.

Once the applications are received, the schools have to upload a complete list of all applicants before the commencement of the selection process. Thereafter, the points awarded to each child will have to be uploaded prior to declaring any list of admissions.

If more applicants score the same points as the available seats, then the school must conduct a draw of lots. It must be video-recorded and done in the presence of parents with an announcement at least two days in advance.

Under the Right to Education Act, 25 per cent of seats remain reserved for children from Economically Weaker Sections, Disadvantaged Groups and for Children with Disabilities. These are filled through a separate centralised mechanism.

Documents parents should prepare

According to DoE, parents are advised to keep all the required documents ready before commencing the application process. These include a copy of the birth certificate of the child for age verification, residence proof like the ration card, electricity or water bill, Aadhaar Card, Voter ID or passport, and identity proof for both parents.

Recent photographs of the child and parents are also to be submitted. Parents should also provide proof if a sibling is studying in the same school and documentation if the parent is an alumnus of the school. Applications under the reserved category for Children with Disabilities require a government-issued disability certificate. How to apply: Online or offline Parents can submit applications through either the official websites of individual schools or offline, as decided by each school. After filling in all required details, parents must upload or attach supporting documents, pay the permitted Rs 25 registration fee and save the acknowledgement receipt for later verification. The applicants are thereafter expected to check the website of the school routinely for publication of applicant lists, points awarded and first and second selection lists along with dates for verification of documents and admission formalities.

Prof Ananya Mukherjee, vice-chancellor of SNU, spoke to FE on the special features of the new programme and why it was required. Shiv Nadar University, Delhi NCR, is expanding its interdisciplinarity with the launch of the BA in Interdisciplinary Humanities and Social Sciences.

When asked about the need for a new interdisciplinary programme when a BSc already exists in Economics and Finance, Prof Mukherjee said SNU is building on the success of the existing programme. “We are keen to replicate this success in areas where young professionals are required. The new programme in IHS is one such endeavour,” she said.

Its success is reflected in the career outcomes of the Class of 2025 at the BSc (Research) in Economics and Finance, which averaged at Rs 13.29 lakh per annum, with a highest of Rs 24.3 LPA. Further, a substantial number of graduates have chosen to pursue higher education, securing admissions at globally acclaimed institutions such as Duke University, the University of Chicago, Columbia University, and the Stockholm School of Economics.

A degree that is a first of its kind

The BA (Research) in IHS is being hailed as a first of its kind in India. "There are at present no programmes in India offering a BA (Research) in IHS," Prof Mukherjee asserted. "Its structure is robustly multidisciplinary, starting with a core foundation that includes courses in humanities, natural and social sciences, as well as modern skills like data and quantitative skills, AI, environment, business fundamentals, and writing and communication."

From the second year, students can specialise in one of three Majors: Sustainability Studies; Archaeology, Heritage and Historical Studies; and Society, Culture and Technology. Focus on responsible AI Another differentiator of the new BA (Research) is its commitment to technology, particularly responsible AI. “All students will take a dedicated AI companion module designed to cover core fundamentals and build capacity for real-world application,” she said. “SNU has instituted an award for the project demonstrating the ‘Best Responsible Use of AI’, ensuring the curriculum remains at the cutting edge by drawing upon AI leaders across domains.” Prof Mukherjee also defended the inclusion of the word ‘Research’ at the undergraduate level by dismissing the notion that it should be reserved for postgraduate studies. “We believe research begins from day zero of an undergraduate programme – if not earlier. Research is a habit of mind, not merely a sequence of activities with outcomes,” she explained, while underlining that the whole undergraduate curriculum is research-informed. Future vision Finally, the program epitomizes a bigger vision with regards to what education should be at SNU. Prof Mukherjee summed up with an emphasis on the requirement of rendering students capable not only of responding to change but leading it. “To achieve this, we need holistic education-experiential in character, built upon an understanding of the world, and able to make links across disciplines in order to solve real problems in our communities and society,” she said. “The BA (Research) in IHS is designed to align with this commitment to holistic learning, as well as with the national priorities articulated in the NEP and India’s Vision 2047.”

When Professor Shambhu Nath Singh took charge as Vice-Chancellor on April 4, 2023, fears over his rather chequered past-removed as VC of Patna University in 2012 under circumstances that were not exactly above board-did not convert into any scrutiny from the Union government. Within months, however, Tezpur University was mired in charges that suggested all was not well with academic integrity.

According to senior faculty members, Vice-Chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh pressured the department head, Prof. Nilratan Roy, and the Dean, Prof. Raja Rafiul Haque, to insert Kumar’s name despite the screening committee’s decision to reject him. Roy has since stated that Kumar failed to meet UGC eligibility norms, and colleagues recall that his interview performance was weak. Yet the VC allegedly silenced objections and ensured Kumar’s selection. Soon after, Kumar was elevated to Director of the Centre for Open and Distance Learning, an unusually high administrative post for a newly appointed faculty member. Kumar himself has acknowledged that he appealed his exclusion and was subsequently added and appointed.

A month later, on September 25, 2023 another controversy emerged during the hiring of an Assistant Professor in the Hindi Department. Goma Devi Sharma, who had not been shortlisted, having failed to meet essential requirements such as a translation or language diploma, was allegedly added to the list on the VC’s instruction. The Head of Department, Prof. Pramod Meena, has said that the VC not only compelled the screening committee to include her but also warned him “not to ask any question” during the interview, adding that if he objected, he “would not be allowed to stay in the university.” External experts on the interview panel were replaced with individuals believed to be close to the VC. Despite stronger candidates in the pool and Sharma’s interview being recorded as “not satisfactory,” Singh allegedly pushed through her selection. 

For a long time, these frustrations remained internal, surfacing only occasionally as murmurs within departments. But as other controversies mounted in 2025, the pattern of absence began to be seen not as an inconvenience but as systemic neglect.

These concerns were further exacerbated by financial issues that surfaced in FY 2024–25. It had discovered that out of a Rs 6.5-crore UGC capital grant, Rs 4.5 crore had been spent on books and e-resources in ways that seemed to violate procurement norms. Most of the spending was allegedly distributed to a few Delhi-based vendors, bypassing competitive tendering and flouting General Financial Rules. By mid-2025, faculty complaints had grown to include serious construction lapses in newly built hostels funded through substantial HEFA loans, buildings that developed cracks and faulty utilities soon after completion. Allegations also surfaced that the VC had created high-paying posts, such as that of a Computer Centre director, for preferred individuals, even as essential academic vacancies remained unfilled.

The crisis that engulfed Tezpur University began to surface publicly after September 19 this year, when beloved Assamese singer Zubeen Garg passed away and the state declared official mourning. While much of Assam fell silent, the university went about its routine classes and even held a student union election on September 21, a decision which many on the campus saw as at best indifferent and at worst disrespectful. When students demanded a formal condolence meeting, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Shambhu Nath Singh, and his administration gave no response. Matters came to a head on the evening of September 22, when some grieving students confronted Singh about what they saw as the university’s callousness. Singh reportedly told them, “Don’t make things funny,” an observation that incensed the students. As tensions rose, students mobbed him and asked for an apology. Instead of engaging with them, Singh abruptly left the campus—“nearly fled”, in the words of several witnesses—leaving students and staff aghast. The incident, perceived as an insult both to a cultural icon and to the students’ emotions, ignited the first open revolt against his leadership.

 The administration, with the public watching, hastened to announce plans for a statue of Zubeen Garg on campus and even floated the idea of an honorary degree in his name. But the damage had been done. That same day, the university’s Public Relations Officer, Samaresh Barman, resigned in protest, accusing Singh of autocratic conduct and placing personal image above institutional needs. By September 24, faculty, students, and staff gathered in an unusually unanimous assembly to demand the VC’s immediate removal, framing the Zubeen incident as the latest example of a broader pattern of “neglect and paralysis.”

Over the following days, the TUTA formally raised the stakes by sending a detailed memorandum to the Governor of Assam, who is also the university's Chancellor, and to the Chief Minister. The memorandum listed a series of grave charges: financial irregularities in procurement, poor-quality infrastructure including newly built hostels riddled with cracks and faulty amenities, non-transparent award of contracts to repeat vendors, and pressure on faculty to approve work orders without proper documentation. TUTA also cited the decision to abolish the Pro-VC post and to fill senior administrative roles with favourites while key offices such as the Registrar remained vacant. Singh's remarks about Zubeen Garg, according to the association, had deepened the unrest and warranted immediate intervention.

By late September, the crisis had escalated sufficiently for the Visitor and the Union Ministry of Education to constitute a formal fact-finding committee. A three-member inquiry panel, headed by Director, IIT Guwahati, Prof. Devendra Jalihal, assisted by the Vice-Chancellor of Dibrugarh University and a Secretary, Education, Government of Assam, visited the campus on October 1 to record statements on charges that reportedly ranged from financial misappropriation to manipulation of contracts. The Union Ministry of Education also sent a high-level team of its officials to assess the situation independently.

 Students described the act as symbolic, meant to “cleanse” the university of its troubles. They vowed to continue peaceful protests till transparency and integrity were restored. The anger was sharpened by the belief that Singh had effectively gone “missing,” with no communication for the third consecutive week. The same week saw legal escalation: TUTA President Prof. Kusum K. Bania filed an FIR against Ramakrishna Mathe, the VC-appointed Computer Centre Director, accusing him of criminal trespass, cheating, impersonation and IT Act violations for allegedly accessing university systems remotely and acting without authorization.

The administration continued to unravel. On 16 October, Acting Registrar Pritam Deb resigned, and his resignation was promptly accepted by the acting Vice-Chancellor (the senior-most professor, since Singh remained missing). His exit, coming within a fortnight of the PRO's resignation, signalled acute internal dissension and drilled home the perception of an imploding administration. 

 One trip lasted 22 days. For many, this data crystallized the experience of "neglect and paralysis," and the fact that Singh had not returned since the incident involving Zubeen increased the demand for his removal. An Acting VC, Prof. Raja R. Haque, was now effectively running the university, underlining the fact that Singh had retreated completely from campus affairs. Meanwhile, neither the Governor's fact-finding committee, nor the district magistrate, tasked to report within a week, released their findings, fuelling frustration as October drew to a close.

By early November, it was already well into the second month of the movement. TUTA also pointed out other anomalies: the non-establishment, without any explanation whatsoever, of the announced Bir Lachit Borphukan Defence Studies Centre; arbitrary extensions of key administrative tenures; delayed and denied payments to contractual workers; and sudden terminations constituting “mental harassment.” The width of grievances already made clear that the unrest had grown far beyond the Zubeen incident and into a rejection of the VC’s entire administrative regime.

At a press conference on November 17 in Guwahati, students spoke about how academic life had collapsed—exams postponed, results delayed, certificates unavailable—and elaborated on the travails of everyday campus life, from fees for open-source e-materials to broken equipment, deteriorating hostels, and even shortages of basic medicines. On the 66th day of the unrest, November 25, a new collective named Tezpur University United Forum was formed. It brought students, teachers, and staff together under one platform. They declared they had met Vineet Joshi, Secretary of Higher Education, demanding the release of the two inquiry reports. According to them, Joshi promised action within “2–3 days," but the week went by without any action, as frustration mounted. TUUF added new charges: misuse of central hiring schemes such as PM Rozgar Yojana, and the illegal appointment of Ramkrishna Mathe as Computer Centre Director on a high salary despite his prolonged absence and unauthorized access to sensitive systems like email servers and CCTV. At this moment, Singh had not visited the campus for more than two months, and the forum demanded immediate suspension with a judicial probe. Faculty members began to ask pointed questions about New Delhi's silence: "Why is Delhi not responding? With no intervention in sight, the campus moved into a more drastic phase.Their four conditions were clear: immediate suspension or removal of VC Singh; the physical presence of the Finance Officer to answer financial questions; the physical presence of the Executive Engineer to address construction lapses; and urgent intervention by the Ministry of Education. The disappearance of the VC became a rallying cry, with student leaders saying, “If he was innocent, he wouldn’t have run.”

 Back on campus, stakeholders reiterated that new evidence had been submitted to authorities and warned that allowing Singh to remain VC in name continued to undermine institutional integrity. They again demanded the release of inquiry reports and action from Delhi. As of December 1, 2025, close to two months into the revolt, Tezpur University remains paralyzed. Singh has not stepped foot on campus since September 22, and students, faculty, and staff refer to him as “in hiding” or “absconding.” India Today NE has sent a set of 25 questions to Shambhu Nath Singh on these allegations.