Delhi University: Now pursue a PhD directly after UG; a master's degree is not mandatory, who can avail of this benefit?

Delhi University: Delhi University has opened a new pathway for higher education for students completing the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP). Students meeting the prescribed eligibility criteria will now be able to apply for direct admission to a PhD program without first obtaining a master's degree.

To qualify, students from the general category must have a minimum CGPA of 7.5, while students belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) are required to have a CGPA of 7.0 or higher.

This provision has been introduced through an amendment to the university's Ordinance-6 and has received approval from both the Academic Council and the Executive Council.

Why is this arrangement significant for the 2026-27 academic session?
The first batch of students enrolled in DU's Four-Year Undergraduate Programme is now completing its undergraduate education. Consequently, this provision for direct entry into the PhD program will apply to these students for the first time in the 2026-27 session.

This means eligible students can apply for a doctoral program without pursuing a postgraduate (PG) degree. However, they must meet the university's stipulated eligibility criteria.

How many students opted for the fourth year of the FYUP?
DU launched the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme starting from the 2022-23 academic session. It was implemented under the undergraduate curriculum framework designed in accordance with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

In the 2022-23 session, a total of 75,948 students enrolled at DU, including those at the School of Open Learning. Of these, 40,005 students exited after completing three years of undergraduate study in 2025, while approximately 35,943 students continued their studies into the fourth year. Among the latter group, 12,111 students have applied for admission to one-year PG programs for the 2026-27 session.

How many seats are available in the one-year PG programs?

DU has made a total of 5,857 seats available across one-year PG programs in 46 subjects for the 2026-27 session. Of these, 2,807 seats are in the regular mode. This means there are, on average, about 127 seats per program.

**Details** | **Number**
One-year PG programs | 46
Total seats | 5,857
Regular mode seats | 2,807
Applications for one-year PG | 12,111
Students continuing studies in the fourth year | 35,943

**12,111 applications for 5,857 seats—how significant is the gap?**
Against the 5,857 seats available in one-year PG programs, 12,111 students have applied. By this calculation, the available seats represent approximately 48.36 percent of the applicant pool. Meanwhile, out of the 35,943 students continuing their studies into the fourth year, about 33.7 percent have applied for the one-year PG programs.

**Will the option for a PG program after three years still exist? ****
Yes. Along with the four-year undergraduate program, DU has maintained the number of seats in two-year PG programs.

These programs will be particularly important for students who exited their undergraduate education after completing three years of the FYUP (Four-Year Undergraduate Program). In other words, students will have various options to move forward based on their undergraduate studies.

**How ​​has DU prepared for the increased number of seats?**
Along with the increase in seats for one-year PG programs, the university faces the challenge of arranging classrooms and faculty. Addressing this, DU Registrar Vikas Gupta stated that the university has expanded its infrastructure to meet these additional requirements.

Rooms previously used for other programs have been allocated for this purpose. The university will also recruit additional faculty members. Furthermore, arrangements have been made to offer teachers from affiliated colleges the opportunity to teach at the university and to provide them with an honorarium.

**How ​​do the number of seats at DU compare to other universities?**
In terms of one-year PG programs, the scale of DU's expansion is significantly larger compared to other universities. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has made 71 seats available across 4 programs, whereas Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) has offered 210 seats across 7 programs. In comparison, DU is offering 5,857 seats across 46 one-year PG programs.

When did DU launch the four-year UG program?
Delhi University implemented the four-year undergraduate program starting from the 2022-23 academic session. It was introduced under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022, which is based on the National Education Policy 2020.

The objective of the FYUP was to provide students with greater exposure to research and entrepreneurship at the undergraduate level and to align Indian degree programs with global academic standards.

The first batch of this program has now completed four years of study. Alongside this, DU has introduced one-year PG programs for students, and eligible...

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