By the next academic year, aspirants may get admission in Delhi University even if they score a 60%. Here’s how.

Starting next academic year, the University of Delhi is all set to introduce management quota in lieu of conducting special admissions drive for seats left vacant under the reserved category. This change comes as a much needed respite for both students and officials involved in the admissions procedure. A special admissions officer under the condition of anonymity, said, “The admissions committee believes that the recently concluded special admissions drive for reserved category students was a futile effort. It’s better to give out seats than leave them unoccupied.”

This move also comes as a blessing in disguise for the 28 DU colleges whose funding was recently discontinued by the Delhi Government. Adding to the widely discussed issue, the Executive Council announced that the University is slowly inching towards self-financing. The council has not yet resolved to remove the clause of funding by University Grants Commission (UGC) from the Delhi University Act, but has amended existing ordinances in favour of management seats.

With the introduction of management quota, funding for DU colleges will no longer remain an issue. According to research analysts, the cost of a single seat at a prestigious college’s coveted course can cost around 10 lakhs, or even more, depending on the demand. The academic council has not fixed any criteria for application, and hence it will entirely be on the basis of money and not merit. Over 5000 seats go empty every year after the 6th and 7th lists, and if you do simple math, the money received from this would be immense.

Unfortunately, a full-fledged quota with a fixed percentage like those observed in private colleges will not be implemented any soon. Only the sparse vacant seats that had originally been allotted to reserved category candidates will be given out. This is because introduction of seats given out under the discretion of the management implies privatisation, which would ‘tarnish’ Delhi University’s image as a premier institution for higher studies. Moreover, such a move would invite legal trouble for the university.

While most DU aspirants are welcoming the decision, the existing students are full of apprehensions. Most 2nd and 3rd year students are under the impression that implementation of a management quota would also result in greater autonomy for colleges, which may lead to a subsequent fee hike across all courses. One of the 3rd year students said, “I wish to see a revamped version of the shabby infrastructure of my college. I really hope the rumours about higher fees are false, though. ”

The solution posed to fill vacant reserved seats is definitely interesting, but chances are that it would lead to extreme complications. An incline towards a self-financing model means lack of transparency and a slow, consequent privatisation of the institution. The legacy of Delhi University as a premier government funded body might die soon, if the matter goes out of hand. We can, nevertheless, expect better infrastructure and facilities, and fewer pamphlets of touts claiming to give aspirants a seat in the course and college of their choice.

Feature Image Credits: Hindustan Times