New Delhi: Barely a year after rolling out the fourth year of its undergraduate programme, Delhi University is set to significantly recalibrate the implementation of its National Education Policy (NEP)-mandated four-year degree, moving towards offering the additional year through select cluster colleges after low student uptake made the existing model difficult to sustain.A recommendation by Delhi University Principals’ Association (DUPA) to identify these colleges is being viewed positively by the university, TOI has learnt. If the recommendation is accepted, the fourth year will no longer be offered by every DU college. Instead, identified colleges will host common batches comprising students from multiple colleges, significantly altering how the second batch of the four-year UG programme pursues the additional year.“We are positively considering the recommendation. The idea is to avoid expenditure where student strength is too low. We also have to justify the resources being deployed. After all, these are public funds and must be utilised optimally,” registrar Vikas Gupta told TOI.“Under NEP, students already have the flexibility to exit after different stages. For those opting to continue to the fourth year, we can create combined batches of students from different colleges and hold classes at a designated location. There is no need for students to formally migrate from one college to another if their college is not among those identified to offer the fourth year,” Gupta said.He, however, added that admissions are still underway and the university will take a final call after receiving complete enrolment data from colleges. “Based on the data, if the situation warrants it, we will positively consider the suggestion,” he said.The move follows a July 10 letter written by DUPA secretary Prof. Savita Roy to the dean of colleges, with copies marked to the dean (academics) and the registrar.The letter said, “Based on the enrolment data for the academic year 2025-26, approximately 30% of students opted for the fourth year of the UG programme. However, for 2026-27, only a limited number of students have, thus far, expressed interest in continuing to the fourth year.”Citing discussions with principals across colleges, the association added that it may not be “financially, academically, or administratively feasible for every college to offer all fourth-year programmes, particularly where student enrolment is very low.”The principals urged DU to “identify and designate selected colleges” to offer specific fourth-year programmes based on infrastructure, faculty strength, academic resources and student demand, saying such rationalisation would ensure the “optimum utilisation of resources” while maintaining the quality and sustainability of the programmes, according to the letter.The proposed shift will mark the first significant change in implementation of DU’s flagship four-year UG programme since its rollout under NEP.The reform has faced criticism from sections of teachers and students over its academic design and utility, while colleges have also grappled with infrastructure constraints. Several institutions had to erect temporary portacabins and mobilise additional funding to accommodate the extra year.If accepted, the cluster model will substantially alter how the second batch of FYUP students pursues the fourth year while allowing the university to consolidate teaching and infrastructure resources.
