‘Choose your program, not just the college’: DU Admissions Dean on navigating the third round | Education News

As the admissions process enters this pivotal phase, The Indian Express spoke with the Dean of Admissions Haneet Gandhi to better understand the logic behind preference filling, how to avoid common pitfalls, advice to students looking to reorder their preferences and what to expect in the weeks ahead.

Q. With the third round of allocations on, what’s your advice for students who didn’t get their desired course or college yet?

I would tell them not to lose hope. This isn’t over yet. In the second list alone, we’ve made around 85,000 allocations, and of these, 24,000 are new admissions. That means thousands of students who got nothing in Round 1 have now been allotted a seat.

So yes, there is real movement. In Round 3, we will open a window for students who haven’t been admitted anywhere to reorder their preferences. We’ll also display the seat matrix — so students can see exactly which colleges and courses still have seats left. Based on that, they can make informed decisions.

Q. If a student didn’t get a seat in Rounds 1 or 2, how should they approach filling their preferences now? What’s the most common mistake?

The biggest mistake students make is listing too few preferences — sometimes just 10 or 20. That’s very limiting. Students should opt for every college and course they are eligible for and genuinely willing to join.

Also, do not go by last year’s cut-offs or someone else’s marks. CUET scores are scaled differently every year, and there’s no fixed prediction. The only thing that matters now is your order of preference. List what you really want — in the order you want it — without second-guessing what might happen.

Q. How should students balance between prioritising a college versus a program?

That’s a very personal choice. Some students prioritize a specific campus, some prefer women’s colleges, others want to stay closer to home. But if you ask me from an academic and career perspective — your program should come first.

All DU colleges now have strong NAAC ratings — many of them are A or A+ — and offer quality education. But the subject you choose will shape your academic path and career. So if you’re passionate about a subject, take the program wherever it’s available.

Q. Many students still dismiss BA Programme combinations in favour of traditional Honours courses. Do you think that’s changing?

Slowly, yes but not enough. Students and parents still tend to chase the ‘Honours’ label. But under NEP, the BA Programme now leads to a proper Honours degree — with a major and minor.

For instance, a combination like Economics + Mathematics can be extremely valuable. These combinations open up academic and professional growth opportunities. So I strongly urge students not to overlook the BA Programme, many of the best combinations lie there.

Q. Any trends or surprises you noticed in this year’s admission data so far?

We saw a very balanced demographic spread. Yes, Delhi students form a large portion of the applicant pool, but we also saw strong numbers from Uttar Pradesh, the Northeast, and other states. The spread is much more equitable now.

Also, this year CUET seems to have finally settled into the system. There’s less confusion. Subject mapping is understood better. And rejections due to subject mismatches have gone down sharply.

Q. So the main reason for rejections now is poor documentation, not eligibility?

Absolutely. Most rejections we’re seeing now are due to incomplete or invalid documents — whether it’s for OBC, PwD, Orphan, SGC, or any reserved category. We’ve been conducting webinars and posting advisories telling students to prepare documents in advance, but there’s still a gap.

On subject mapping, I’d say candidates are doing much better. The awareness has improved.

Q. There’s a growing market of paid ‘counsellors’ who promise students a seat in DU if they pay a fee. What’s your take on that?

It’s deeply troubling. Many of these people are filling preferences without the student even knowing what’s been listed. They might put an unwanted college or course at the top just to secure a seat — but that traps the student. Once that seat is allotted, there’s no chance for an upgrade.

We’ve had students and parents come crying, saying they had no idea what was submitted. Your academic journey is deeply personal — how can anyone else decide what you should study or where?

Our repeated message to students: fill your preferences yourself. Attend the webinars, watch our YouTube briefings — we explain everything clearly.

Q. After Round 2, some students realise their mistakes and want to change preferences. What can they do?

This is why Round 3 is crucial. We’re opening a window for mid-entry and preference edits. If you haven’t been admitted anywhere yet, you’ll get a chance to re-enter or reorder your preferences based on the updated seat matrix.

But yes — once the first list is out, your choices lock in, and many students realise they went by cut-offs or rumours and regret it. That’s why we keep telling them — don’t try to “game the system.” You can’t predict the outcome. Just be honest about your preferences.

Q. For students applying under ECA, how much of an advantage does that really offer?

It depends. For some ECAs, there are just two seats in a given college. If there are ten candidates, obviously only two will get it — and the rest may be allocated a much lower preference.

In fact, in some cases, academically stronger students might’ve gotten a better seat in the general category than through ECA. So you should only go through the ECA route if it’s aligned with your profile — don’t depend on it as a better option.