Delhi University’s First NEP Batch Left in Limbo as 4,000 Graduates Miss One-Year Master’s Route

Students who completed the four-year undergraduate programme under the National Education Policy are struggling to secure places in Delhi University’s one-year postgraduate course, raising questions about the transition from the new degree structure to higher education.

Gaurav Sharma, 21, graduated in Hindi Honours with Research from Delhi University’s Kirori Mal College. Despite being among the higher scorers in his batch, he could not secure admission to the university’s one-year master’s programme this year. He is now pursuing a part-time course in Portuguese.

The setback has disrupted his plans to become an assistant professor. Under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework, the one-year master’s programme was intended to offer graduates of four-year undergraduate degrees a shorter route towards further academic study, including a PhD or the National Eligibility Test (NET).

Sharma’s experience reflects the uncertainty facing around 4,000 students from Delhi University’s first four-year undergraduate batch, who reportedly have been unable to secure seats in the one-year postgraduate programme they expected to pursue.

For students who chose the four-year degree structure partly because it offered a shorter postgraduate route, the lack of admission opportunities has raised concerns about whether the promised academic pathway is accessible in practice.