Univs prepare for delayed start for 2nd year in a row

Univs prepare for delayed start for 2nd year in a row

Mohammad Ibrar & Shradha Chettri TNN

New Delhi:15.04.2021

With the Central Board of Secondary Education announcing the postponement of the Class XII final exams due to the rampaging pandemic, universities across the country are gearing up for delayed admissions for the new academic sessions. Most universities, including Delhi University, have admission systems based on the Class XII exam scores. Only private institutions of higher learning did not appear to be affected by the announcement.

Acknowledging that exam postponement would impact admissions at DU for a second year in a row, acting vice-chancellor P C Joshi said, “As a national university, we even wait for results of the state boards to accommodate their students. There is no clarity yet on the central entrance exams for universities, so the Covid situation will impact our schedule.” Joshi added, “Like last year, we will try to make admissions an entirely online process and quicken the process after the CBSE results are published.”

S P Aggarwal, principal, Ramanujan College, said, “Perhaps if the Covid situation improves, CBSE can conduct the exams in June and enable us to complete the admissions by September.” Aggarwal wasn’t certain about CUCET, the proposed entrance exam for central universities, being implemented this year. So, he argued, entry would have to be based on board exam scores. “And we will have to wait for that, even if it takes till December,” he said.

Former DU deputy dean of students’ welfare Gurpreet Singh Tuteja, however, felt the postponed exams would not have “a major impact on DU except for some changes in the academic calendar”.

The schedule of Delhi government’s District Institutes of Education and Training will also be affected. The nine DIET colleges offer courses such as nursery teacher training and diploma in elementary education, admission for which depends on marks obtained in Class XII, with Class X scores used as tiebreakers. When asked if there was an alternative, Rajesh Kumar, principal, DIET, Gumanhera, said, “Jamia Millia Islamia and DU have admission tests. So, we can think along those lines. However, a Class XII pass is a must.”

At Delhi Technological University, there is less of a hubbub because admission depends on the scores from the Joint Entrance Examination Main. “If JEE Main is held in time, admission won’t be a problem,” said a DTU official. Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia too are not totally reliant on Class XII marks. Jamia conducts its own entrance tests, but aspirants need to have scored a certain percentage to be able to sit for these tests. JNU admits students to its undergraduate courses through the National Testing Agency exam.

At private universities though, the CBSE announcement hasn’t created waves. A Shiv Nadar University spokesperson told TOI, “In the wake of the pandemic, we had altered our admission process last year. We are making provisional admission offers to candidates based on their performance in remotely proctored entrance tests and personal interviews. Selected candidates only need to secure a defined minimum percentage in Class XII exams, which can be updated whenever the results are declared. We also accept JEE, SAT and ACT scores from applicants.”

An Ashoka University spokesperson similarly said, “We are in a position to make a firm offer of admission to applicants without waiting for their Class XII results based on SAT, ACT or mandatory Ashoka Aptitude Assessment scores. This reduces the uncertainty for applicants.”

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