Here are five big changes which will be introduced this year:

Common entrance test (CUCET): DU has made it clear that admissions to different undergraduate courses in the 2022-23 academic sessions will only take place through the CUCET. While the university issued a notification stating that it will either opt for its own entrance, Delhi University Common Entrance Test (DUCET), or CUCET, DU officials say that the university will prefer the CUCET so that students will not have to appear for multiple entrance tests. The admission will be based entirely on the entrance exam while the Class 12 scores will serve as a qualifying factor. While the Union ministry of education is yet to finalise the modalities of CUCET, a member of the committee created to recommend the modalities of the exam, had earlier told HT that CUCET will have two components — an aptitude test and a subject-specific test. “The aptitude part will consist of questions on reading comprehension, verbal ability, logical and analytical reasoning and general awareness. The second part will be subject-specific which means it will be based on questions related to the stream in which the candidate wants to take admission,” the official said.

Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP): Under the new structure for UG courses, DU will allow students to opt for a three-year Honours programme or a four-year Honours programme. In the fourth year of the program, students can either choose to pursue an Honours degree in a particular discipline or an Honours degree with research. In case students opt for an honours course, they would be required to study four generic elective (Minors) papers in the fourth year. The students shall also study two discipline-specific elective papers and will be required to complete a research dissertation on the major discipline.

In case students opt for an honours degree with research, they would study two generic elective (Minors) papers in the fourth year. Students shall also study two discipline-specific elective papers and would need to complete a thesis.internship in semesters VII and VIII.

Academic Bank of Credits (ABC): Proposed under the NEP, the ABC will allow students to earn credits for different courses and then transfer them to their academic bank. Credits awarded to a student for one programme from an institution may be transferred.redeemed by another institution upon students consent. The ABC will perform the functions of a commercial bank with the facility for students to hold accounts. The bank will be responsible for the opening, validation and closure of these accounts and facilitate verification, accumulation, transfer and redemption of credits and degree authentication for the academic account holder. Students will also be able to earn credits from SWAYAM, the government’s online repository of courses. DU students will also be able to earn credits for non-core courses through other universities. ABC is expected to aid the Multiple Entry and Exit Scheme (MEES).

Multiple Entry-Exit Scheme (MEES): Under this provision of the FYUP, students will be able to exit the course after the first, second, or third year. For example, students may secure a certificate after completing one year in a discipline or field including vocational and professional areas, a diploma after two years of study, or a Bachelor’s degree after a 3-year programme. Students will also be permitted to join the programme later on. DU plans to hold an entrance test for the lateral entry of students from other universities enrolled under the ABC system, while DU students will be allowed to reenter without entrance. ABC coupled with MEES will allow students to gain credits as per their learning, store them in a digital vault, and use them to switch courses and resume their study at any point if they have to exit the course after the first, second, or third year.

Discontinuation of Mphil degree: The existing Mphil programme at the university will be discontinued from the 2022-23 session in line with NEP. According to NEP, students will be allowed to direct admission in PhD programmes after post-graduation. “Undertaking a PhD shall require either a Master’s degree or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with Research,” the NEP states. DU may implement both one-year and two-year PG programmes as per NEP.