New Eligibility Criteria Makes Entry to DU’s B.Sc Courses Tougher; University Increases Aggregate Percentage

The upcoming academic year may be tough for candidates looking for admission to Delhi University’s different B.Sc programmes. As, the university has changed the eligibility criteria, including an increase in the overall percentage score, and made subjects like English, Physics, Chemistry and Maths compulsory for some of the science courses thus making it difficult for students who have an aggregate below 60%.

For example, aspirants applying to B.Sc (Hons) in Mathematics will have to secure an overall percentage score of 60% or more marks in Mathematics, which until last year, used to be 50% in the subject and an aggregate of 45% in the qualifying examination. Also, the required aggregate score for commonly applied courses, like B.Sc (Hons) Chemistry, Physics, has also been increased from 55% to 60%.

However, until 2018, the overall percentage required for getting into courses used to be 55% of the relevant subject (Physics, Maths, Chemistry, etc.) and 50% in one compulsory language. But, this year, a 50% score in English has been made mandatory. 

According to Rajeev Gupta, the dean of students’ welfare, "The criterion was fixed on the basis of recommendations made by the various departments. The percentage for admissions is generally high and the difference in eligibility criteria won’t matter much."

However, teachers had a different take on the new criterion, and said that the university’s statutory bodies were not involved in the deliberations by the administration. “The administration has arbitrarily taken this decision of changing the criteria without involving the statutory bodies. For admission in both Maths and Computer Science courses, the minimum marks required in Maths have been increased to 60%. The same has been done with the science courses. It may affect students who got more than 95 marks in two subjects but were unable to get 60% marks in the third one (maths),” said Ashok, assistant professor, Physics, ARSD College, and an executive member of the DUTA.

He also said that for example, if a student gets 99 marks each in Physics and Chemistry respectively and 59 in Math, then that student may suffer due to this arbitrary change. Adding to it, the deduction (introduced this year) in marks of science students who want to take admissions in English will adversely affect such students.”

Even in B.Sc in Physical Science and Applied Physical Science courses, the overall required percentage has been increased from 45% in the aggregate of three subjects (Physics, Chemistry and Maths) to an aggregate of 60% in all three subjects, and a 50% score in English.