DU Admissions: Final Mop-Up Round for 7,000 Vacant Seats

Delhi University (DU) has initiated a special mop-up admission round for the 2025-26 academic year to address nearly 7,000 vacant undergraduate (UG) seats across its colleges and programs. Announced on September 3, 2025, this final round marks a significant shift from previous admission cycles by relying solely on Class 12 marks for eligibility and seat allocation, bypassing the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores used in earlier rounds. The move aims to tackle ongoing challenges in the CUET counselling process and provide a last opportunity for students to secure admission to one of India’s premier universities. This article explores the details of the mop-up round, its implications, and the broader context of DU’s admission challenges.

Background: The Challenge of Vacant Seats

Despite seven rounds of admissions and the academic session commencing on August 1, 2025, Delhi University reported approximately 7,000 to 9,000 vacant UG seats, with some sources citing up to 9,000 unfilled seats. These vacancies are particularly pronounced in reserved categories, including Other Backward Classes (OBC) with 2,488 vacant seats, Scheduled Caste (SC) with 1,332, Scheduled Tribe (ST) with 1,582, Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) with 1,359, and minority quotas such as Sikh (391) and Christian (261). Off-campus colleges, which often lack the infrastructure, visibility, and hostel facilities of prominent DU institutions, account for a significant portion of these vacancies, with some reporting 50–70% of seats unfilled. The persistence of vacant seats, even after multiple admission rounds, has highlighted systemic issues in the centralized CUET-based admission process, prompting DU to launch this mop-up round.

Key Features of the Mop-Up Round

The mop-up admission round introduces several distinct features to address the vacancy crisis and provide opportunities for students who faced challenges in earlier rounds. The key aspects include:

Admission Based on Class 12 Marks

Unlike previous rounds, which relied on CUET scores, the mop-up round uses Class 12 board marks or equivalent qualifying examination results for eligibility and merit-based seat allocation. This shift aims to accommodate students who missed the CUET, failed to secure a seat in earlier rounds, or wish to upgrade to better colleges or courses. For programs where General Aptitude marks are considered, colleges evaluate the best four subjects, including one language, to determine eligibility. Tie-breaking rules, as outlined in the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) (UG)-2025, are applied when necessary.

Eligibility Criteria

The mop-up round is open to:

• Students registered on the CSAS (UG)-2025 portal who have not yet secured admission to any DU program as of 5:00 PM on September 4, 2025.
• New applicants who did not previously register on the CSAS portal, provided they pay a one-time, non-refundable mop-up fee of ₹1,000 in addition to the standard registration fee (₹250 for UR/OBC-NCL/EWS categories and ₹100 for SC/ST/PwBD categories). However, candidates already admitted to a DU course or college through CUET-based counselling are ineligible for this round. Additionally, no supernumerary quota seats are available, except for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) candidates.

Application and Allocation Process

The application window for the mop-up round opened on September 4, 2025, and closed on September 7, 2025. DU published the list of vacant seats across colleges and programs on its admission portal (www.admission.uod.ac.in) on September 4. Seat allocations began on September 8, with colleges verifying candidates’ eligibility, program-specific requirements, and category documents. The deadline for fee payment to confirm seats was September 11, 2025, with the final date for all admission-related formalities extended to September 13, 2025, in some cases September 12, 2025. Candidates could apply via their CSAS dashboard (for registered users) or through the admission portal for new applicants.

Scale of Applications

The mop-up round has attracted significant interest, with over 21,000 applicants registering for the approximately 7,000 vacant seats. This high demand underscores the appeal of a DU degree and the challenges students faced in securing admission through the CUET process. The rush of applications also reflects the opportunity for students to either gain entry to DU or upgrade to preferred colleges and courses.

Why the Shift to Class 12 Marks?

The decision to base admissions on Class 12 marks stems from persistent challenges in the CUET counselling process. Faculty members and observers have pointed to systemic flaws in the centralized admission system, which relies on CUET scores and the CSAS portal. These issues include:

• Complexity of the System: The centralized process has been criticized as inaccessible for many students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds, due to its complexity and reliance on digital platforms.
• Preference Mismatches: Many students secure seats in less preferred colleges or courses and later opt out, leaving vacancies, especially in reserved categories. Some students also choose unreserved seats over reserved quotas in subsequent rounds, contributing to the shortfall.
• CUET Accessibility Issues: Not all eligible students could participate in CUET due to logistical or financial constraints, and others failed to secure seats despite appearing for the exam. The mop-up round provides a second chance for such students.
• Delays and Over-Allocation: Despite DU’s strategy of over-allocating seats to account for dropouts, vacancies persisted, particularly in off-campus colleges, necessitating a more flexible admission approach.

By reverting to Class 12 marks, DU aims to simplify the process, make it more inclusive, and ensure that vacant seats are filled before the academic session progresses further. This move has been welcomed by students who struggled with CUET or missed earlier opportunities, as evidenced by social media posts and student reactions indicating a rush to apply before the deadlines.

Implications and Challenges

The mop-up round has significant implications for DU’s admission landscape and highlights broader challenges in higher education admissions in India.

Positive Impacts

• Increased Accessibility: By removing the CUET requirement, DU has opened doors for students who faced barriers in the standardized testing process, aligning with the goal of equitable access to education.
• Filling Vacant Seats: The initiative addresses the critical issue of vacant seats, ensuring that educational resources are utilized effectively and that more students can benefit from a DU education.
• Student Relief: The mop-up round offers hope to students who missed out earlier, including those who enrolled in private universities but now seek the prestige and affordability of DU.

Challenges and Criticisms

• Systemic Flaws in CUET: The need for a mop-up round based on Class 12 marks underscores ongoing issues with the CUET system, including its complexity and inability to fill seats effectively. Faculty members have argued that the centralized system requires a broader overhaul to address these gaps.
• Academic Delays: With classes already underway since August 1, students admitted in the mop-up round may face challenges catching up academically, particularly in courses that have progressed significantly.
• Disparities Across Colleges: The concentration of vacancies in off-campus colleges highlights infrastructural and reputational disparities within DU. Addressing these requires long-term investments in facilities and visibility for lesser-known institutions.
• Fairness Concerns: Some critics argue that relying on Class 12 marks may disadvantage students who performed well in CUET but could not secure preferred seats, raising questions about consistency in admission criteria.

Official Statements and Oversight

Haneet Gandhi, Dean of Admissions at DU, defended the admission process, stating that vacancies do not necessarily indicate systemic issues but reflect students’ preferences for specific colleges or courses. She noted that the university routinely makes extra allocations to address such gaps, and the mop-up round is a strategic effort to close them. The university has emphasized that this is the final admission exercise for the 2025-26 session, with no additional rounds planned except for supernumerary seats under the PwBD category.

How to Apply for the Mop-Up Round

Students interested in the mop-up round can follow these steps:

1. Visit the official DU admission portal at www.admission.uod.ac.in.
2. For registered CSAS (UG)-2025 users, log in to the dashboard and apply under the mop-up tab.
3. For new applicants, register on the portal, pay the mop-up fee (₹1,000) and registration fee (₹250 for UR/OBC-NCL/EWS; ₹100 for SC/ST/PwBD).
4. Upload accurate academic details, including Class 12 marks and supporting documents.
5. Select program and college preferences carefully, as allocations are merit-based.
6. Monitor the portal for seat allocation results (from September 8, 2025) and complete fee payment by September 11, 2025, to confirm admission. Failure to pay fees within the deadline results in forfeiture of the allocated seat.

Broader Context: The Future of Admissions

The mop-up round reflects broader challenges in India’s higher education admission system, particularly with the implementation of CUET. While CUET was introduced to standardize admissions and reduce disparities, its rollout has faced hurdles, including technical issues, accessibility challenges, and mismatches in student preferences. DU’s decision to revert to Class 12 marks for the mop-up round may prompt discussions on whether board exam results should play a larger role in admissions, especially for institutions struggling with vacancies. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s emphasis on flexibility and inclusivity could guide future reforms to balance standardized testing with alternative criteria.

Delhi University’s final mop-up admission round for 2025-26 is a pragmatic response to the challenge of filling nearly 7,000 vacant undergraduate seats. By shifting to Class 12 marks, DU is addressing CUET counselling challenges and providing a lifeline to students who missed earlier opportunities. While the initiative has drawn significant interest, with over 21,000 applicants, it also highlights the need for systemic reforms in the centralized admission process. As DU navigates these challenges, the mop-up round represents a critical step toward ensuring that educational opportunities are maximized, reinforcing the university’s commitment to accessibility and excellence