NEW DELHI: A mix of excitement, curiosity and nervousness marked the first day of the new academic session at Delhi University (DU) Tuesday as thousands of freshers stepped into campus life, beginning a new chapter.
Across North Campus colleges, including Miranda House, SGTB Khalsa College and Hansraj College, students were welcomed with orientation programmes, introductions to student societies and volunteer assistance, creating a vibrant atmosphere on campuses. The freshers were also introduced to academic procedures, student committees and the wide range of extracurricular opportunities available.
Volunteers guided newcomers through college the premises, helping them locate classrooms, auditoriums and orientation venues while introducing them to the culture that defines Delhi University.
The freshers were greeted with tilak, showered with flower petals and offered sweets at several colleges as part of the ‘Welcome Freshers’ campaign organised by student organisation units. At DAV College, members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and other student bodies were present to assist the newcomers.
Aatrija, a newcomer at Miranda House, said students were welcomed with planters before being taken to the auditorium for the orientation programme. “We were introduced to various committees and societies. What interested me the most were the dance societies, Tanz and Mridang,” she said.
Aarohi a fresher from Jesus and Mary College pursuing political science, said the experience of finally entering the university felt different from what she had imagined. “I had seen so much about college life online, but being here and walking through the campus helped me feel it for real,” she said.
Senior students, many of whom had returned to the campuses to welcome the incoming batch, were just as excited. Gul, a second-year student at Hansraj College, recalled her own first day and the emotions that accompanied it. “I was a little hesitant.
All I remember is volunteers in white shirts welcoming us. I was excited and had no idea what all things were coming,” she mused. As students explored campuses, many were seen clicking photographs and interacting with society members eager to recruit fresh talent.
Meanwhile, common induction programmes are scheduled later this week, even as the undergraduate admission process continues. The second round of admissions under the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) is under way, with thousands of candidates accepting newly allotted or upgraded seats. Colleges are still verifying applications and processing admissions, while students have been advised to complete the fee payment to ensure a smooth start to the academic session.
In the second round, the university had extended the deadline for candidates to accept their allotted seats until 11.59 pm on Monday. Colleges could verify and approve applications until 11.59 pm on Tuesday and the last date for the payment of admission fees is 11.59 pm on Wednesday.
In the first round, the university confirmed the admission of 63,756 candidates. The first allocation list offered seats to 93,033 candidates against more than 71,000 seats across 221 programmes in 67 colleges.
The allocations were made from among over 2.08 lakh candidates who completed Phase II of the CSAS admission process by submitting their programme and college preferences