DU nod for common entrance exam for admission attracts dissent
NEW DELHI: A day after the University Grants Commission (UGC) decided to make the Central University Entrance Test (CUET) compulsory for admission in the central universities, the Delhi University’s academic council on Tuesday approved the new policy with several dissents.With an approval to the undergraduate admissions on the basis of the entrance tests alone, no separate selection process will be allowed in any of the university. Also, no weightage will be given to the board exam results.
The CUET will bring an end to the competition among students scoring 99 per cent and above in Class 12 boards. A Class 12 student, Akshata said, “The new policy to take admission is the best thing that could have happened as this year. Board marks were tampered and many schools gave 100 per cent to their own kids which was unfair.”
However, Mithuraaj Dhusiya, DU’s academic council member said, “Admissions to U-G through CUET is very problematic as it does not take Class XII marks into consideration. It also puts children who want to change streams in extreme disadvantage.”
Echoing the same opinion, Abha Dev Habib, Secretary of the Delhi Teachers’ Federation and former member of the executive council, said, “Right now students who want to pursue technical courses after class XII are forced to write entrance exams. Admission to U-G courses through entrance will mean complete erosion of XI and XII classes.”
The academic council however maintained that admission through CUET will make the terrain even more unequal. Such a filter will result in an additional expenditure towards coaching and therefore, marginalising those coming from disadvantageous backgrounds.
One of the members said, “The new system will curtail the autonomy of institutions to respond to ground realities. Cut-offs are decided so as to have desired over-admission to ensure that seats do not go empty at any cost within a few months of admission closure.”
‘Students’ careers may get affected’
With approval to the undergraduate admissions on the basis of the entrance tests alone, no separate selection process will be allowed in the universities including Jamia Millia Islamia University, Delhi University, or Aligarh University.
The council also emphasized the fact that since the desirability and feasibility of the Central University Entrance Test remains unknown, the admission procedure should not be changed in a rushed manner as DU gives admission to over 70,000 students.