DU’s first cut off list for admission : Absurd, unbelievable
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: June 27 2015 -

Absurd. Unbelievable. Disappointing.

These are some of the terms which students seeking admission at some of the more reputed colleges in Delhi University have used with reference to the first cut off list which was issued by the university on June 25.

With 3.7 lakh students applying for admission to some 54,000 seats available in the under graduate courses in the colleges affiliated to the university, one can understand the heavy volume of students seeking admission there.

This may explain the extremely high cut off rate (100 percent in some cases) and compounding matter is the ‘hidden, additional criterion.’

As reported by different news agencies and Delhi based newspapers, this ‘hidden, additional criterion’ will come in the form of the 2.5 pc penalty imposed on any student who wishes to study a subject not offered at the Class XII level.

To make things clearer, an example may be in line. Suppose a student who has not studied Economics at the Class XII level but wants to opt for this subject at the college level, may need to score more than 100 percent.

That is if the cut off percentage of Economics is fixed at 98 percent.

So it stands that a student who has not offered Economics at the plus two level will definite need to have scored 100.5 percent to bring his score to 98 percent and make him or her eligible for the first cut off list.

And many colleges have followed this line. It is the same with other subjects as well.

This sounds absurd and may just defeat the very idea of setting cut off targets for students.

It stands that it was not always like this but with bright students maximising during the Class XII exams and given the rush at Delhi University, the high cut off rate may have come about.

Whether this extremely high cut off rate will help in producing the brightest students after graduation or post graduation is a matter of speculation.

This is the first cut off list and there will be the second cut off list, third cut off list and so on. However this will depend on the availability of seats and many may have to go back disappointed.

Another point that comes to mind is the question of whether students have become more hard working and more diligent or whether it is a question of some board getting more liberal with the process of granting marks.

Students may have certainly become more hard working but has that really reflected in the progress or development of the Nation ?

All questions at the moment, but some thoughts ought to be given on how young students these days have to compete not only among themselves but also with the cut off percentage.

Moreover it also stands that the brightest need not always be the top scorer.

A student who secure 85 percent may not be any less hard working or less brilliant than the one scoring 95 percent. A point which parents and elders of society need to keep in mind too.

For want of an alternative, Delhi University may stick to the high cut off percentage but it is time for all concerned to dwell on the question of whether it makes any sense to expect cent percent score from the young students.