DU Admission 2026 Without CUET Scores: Fresh List Released for Class 12 Merit-Based UG Admission; Check Colleges, Courses and Eligibility
The University of Delhi (DU) has released a fresh list of colleges and undergraduate courses where vacant seats can be filled on the basis of Class 12 marks instead of CUET UG 2026 scores. The exceptional admission route has been introduced after seats remained vacant in selected programmes despite the regular CUET-based Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) rounds.
Importantly, DU has not scrapped CUET. CUET remains the principal route for regular undergraduate admission. Class 12 merit-based admission is being permitted only for specified colleges, courses and remaining vacant seats.
Delhi University official website
Official DU Class 12 Merit Admission Notice PDF
DU Admission Without CUET 2026: Highlights
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| University | University of Delhi |
| Admission | DU UG Admission 2026 |
| Regular Admission Route | CUET UG + CSAS |
| Alternative Route | Class 12 merit |
| CUET Required for These Vacant Seats | No |
| Purpose | Filling vacant UG seats |
| Initial/Freshly Expanded List | 11 colleges |
| Courses | Selected BA, BSc and other notified UG programmes |
| Merit Basis | Class 12 marks |
| Eligibility | Course-specific DU requirements |
| Admission Availability | Only where notified seats remain vacant |
| Official Website | du.ac.in |
The August 21 list identified 11 colleges permitted to use Class 12 merit for selected programmes. Subsequent updates indicate DU has continued expanding the mechanism as additional vacant-seat requests are processed.
DU Admission 2026 Without CUET: What Has Changed?
Under Delhi University's normal undergraduate admission system, candidates compete through CUET UG scores followed by CSAS allocation.
However, after several admission rounds, some colleges continued to have vacant seats.
DU has therefore permitted selected institutions to use:
Class 12 Marks → Programme Eligibility → Merit → Admission against Vacant Seats
instead of:
CUET Score → CSAS Allocation → Admission
for specifically notified vacancies.
This is an exceptional vacancy-filling mechanism, not a university-wide replacement of CUET.
DU Colleges Offering Admission Without CUET
The 11-college list reported in DU's expanded Class 12 merit admission exercise includes:
- Kalindi College
- P.G.D.A.V. College (Evening)
- Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening)
- Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce
- Lakshmibai College
- Vivekanand College
- Rajdhani College
- Shyam Lal College
- Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women
- Aditi Mahavidyalaya
- Bhagini Nivedita College
The university has permitted these colleges to consider Class 12 marks for specified programmes with vacancies, subject to candidates satisfying programme eligibility.
Which Courses Are Available Without CUET?
The alternative admission route primarily covers selected BA and BSc programmes where vacancies remain.
Depending on the college, notified programmes include combinations from areas such as:
- BA Programme
- BA (Hons) programmes
- BSc programmes
- Science disciplines
- Humanities disciplines
- Language programmes
- Other specifically notified undergraduate courses
Candidates should not assume that every course at these 11 colleges is open without CUET.
The relaxation applies on a college-and-course-specific basis.
Can Students Who Did Not Take CUET Apply?
This route creates an opportunity for eligible candidates who do not have a usable CUET score for the notified seats.
However, applicants still need to satisfy the minimum programme-specific eligibility requirements based on their Class 12 subjects and marks.
Therefore:
No CUET Score + Required Class 12 Eligibility + Vacant Seat = Candidate May Be Considered
It does not mean that passing Class 12 alone guarantees admission.
Is DU Admission 2026 Now Completely Without CUET?
No.
This is the most important clarification for applicants.
CUET continues to be the standard admission mechanism for Delhi University's undergraduate programmes.
The Class 12 merit route applies only to:
Selected Colleges + Selected Courses + Vacant Seats
DU Registrar Vikas Gupta has also clarified that the Class 12-based process is separate from CUET admission and is restricted to programmes and colleges where seats remain vacant.
Why Is DU Allowing Admission Based on Class 12 Marks?
The decision has been taken because seats remained vacant after regular admission rounds.
Rather than leaving these undergraduate seats unfilled, DU has allowed colleges with remaining vacancies to admit eligible students using Class 12 merit.
The process therefore serves a specific objective:
Vacant Seats → College Requests/Approval → Class 12 Merit Admission → Seats Filled
Reports indicate the mechanism was initially used by a small number of colleges and subsequently expanded as more institutions reported vacancies.
DU Admission Without CUET: Eligibility
Candidates need to satisfy the eligibility criteria prescribed for the programme they want to join.
Depending on the course, eligibility can involve:
- Required Class 12 subjects
- Minimum marks
- Appropriate subject combination
- Category requirements
- Programme-specific conditions
- Availability of seats
- Merit position among applicants
A high Class 12 percentage alone does not necessarily establish eligibility for every programme.
How Will DU Prepare Merit?
For seats notified under this special admission mechanism, admission will be based on Class 12 merit, subject to eligibility.
The basic process can be understood as:
Application → Eligibility Verification → Class 12 Merit → Seat Availability → Admission
Candidates with stronger merit can therefore have an advantage where the number of applicants exceeds the available vacancies.
DU Class 12 Merit Admission vs CUET Admission
| CUET/CSAS Admission | Class 12 Merit Admission |
|---|---|
| Standard DU UG route | Special vacancy-filling route |
| CUET score required | CUET score not required for notified seats |
| Conducted through regular CSAS | College/notified merit mechanism |
| Covers mainstream admission | Covers selected vacant seats |
| Many DU programmes | Only specifically notified programmes |
| Entrance-test performance matters | Class 12 merit matters |
The second route should therefore be understood as a limited additional admission opportunity.
Shyam Lal College Admission Without CUET
Shyam Lal College was among the institutions permitted to admit students through Class 12 merit for selected vacant programmes.
Earlier reporting identified it alongside Rajdhani College and Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening) when three additional colleges opened merit-based admission after vacancies persisted.
Students should check the college's current vacancy and admission notice before applying because seat availability can change quickly.
Rajdhani College Admission Without CUET
Rajdhani College is also part of the Class 12 merit admission exercise.
The college opened merit-based admission for selected programmes after vacancies remained following the regular admission process.
Applicants should check programme-specific eligibility rather than assuming that all Rajdhani College courses are included.
Zakir Husain Delhi College Evening Admission
Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening) is another institution permitted to fill selected vacant undergraduate seats through Class 12 merit.
Reports indicate that its vacancy-filling exercise included selected language-related programmes.
Candidates should check the latest college notice for the exact courses still accepting applications.
Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College
Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College were among the earlier DU institutions permitted to use Class 12 marks for filling vacant undergraduate seats.
The mechanism was subsequently extended to additional colleges after vacancies continued in selected programmes.
Who Can Benefit From DU Admission Without CUET?
The special admission route can be particularly relevant for students who:
- Did not appear for CUET UG 2026.
- Do not have a CUET score usable for regular DU admission.
- Could not secure a DU seat through earlier allocation rounds.
- Have strong Class 12 marks.
- Meet the eligibility requirements of a programme with vacancies.
- Are willing to consider colleges or courses still having available seats.
However, eligibility and availability must be checked individually.
Can a Student Already Admitted to DU Apply?
Candidates should pay close attention to restrictions relating to existing DU admission.
The special vacancy-filling route is aimed at filling remaining seats and has been reported as applying to candidates without an existing DU admission under the relevant process.
Applicants should therefore check the latest university/college instructions before attempting to switch from an already allocated DU seat.
DU CSAS Spot Round 2026
The Class 12 merit process should also not be confused with DU's CSAS Spot Admission Round.
According to the current admission schedule reported by Careers360:
CSAS Spot Round 1 Application Begins – August 23, 2026
Spot Round 1 Seat Allotment – August 25, 2026
The two mechanisms serve different candidate groups and admission situations.
Class 12 Merit Admission vs Spot Round
| Class 12 Merit Route | CSAS Spot Round |
|---|---|
| For specially notified vacant seats | Part of CSAS vacancy allocation |
| Class 12 marks used | CUET/CSAS framework applies |
| Only selected colleges/courses | Available according to CSAS vacancies |
| Exceptional admission mechanism | Formal DU admission round |
| Separate college-specific requirements may apply | Central CSAS rules apply |
Students should determine which route they are actually eligible for before submitting applications.
How to Apply for DU Admission Without CUET 2026
Candidates should follow the latest notice issued by the college offering the vacant programme.
The broad process is:
- Visit the official Delhi University website.
- Check the latest UG admission notices.
- Find the Class 12 merit-based admission notice.
- Check the latest list of participating colleges.
- Identify the course with vacant seats.
- Verify Class 12 eligibility.
- Visit the concerned college's official admission page.
- Check its application instructions and deadline.
- Complete the application as prescribed.
- Submit Class 12 marks and required documents.
- Check the college merit list.
- Complete admission and fee payment if selected.
Candidates should not assume there is one common application deadline for every college unless DU specifically announces one.
Documents Required
Applicants should keep applicable documents ready, including:
- Class 10 certificate
- Class 12 marksheet
- Class 12 passing certificate
- Valid identity proof
- Recent photographs
- Category certificate, where applicable
- EWS certificate, where applicable
- PwBD certificate, where applicable
- Migration certificate, where required
- Transfer certificate, where required
- Other programme-specific documents
The individual college notice should be treated as the final document checklist.
What If More Students Apply Than Vacant Seats?
Admission will not operate on a first-come-first-served assumption unless a college specifically states such a process.
Where merit-based selection applies, candidates will compete according to the prescribed Class 12 merit criteria and programme eligibility.
Therefore, a candidate meeting minimum eligibility is not guaranteed admission.
Why Students Should Apply Quickly
These are vacant seats remaining after earlier admission rounds, meaning availability may be limited.
Students interested in this route should immediately check:
College → Course → Eligibility → Vacancy → Deadline → Application Procedure
The opportunity can close once the available seats are filled or the college's prescribed application window ends.
Important Warning for Applicants
Students should not interpret headlines such as "DU admission without CUET" to mean that Delhi University has permanently removed CUET.
The accurate position is:
DU is permitting Class 12 merit-based admission only for selected undergraduate programmes with vacant seats at specifically approved colleges.
CUET remains the primary undergraduate admission mechanism across Delhi University.
DU Admission Without CUET 2026: Key Points
- Delhi University has permitted Class 12 merit-based UG admission for selected vacant seats.
- CUET scores are not required for these specifically notified seats.
- CUET remains DU's principal undergraduate admission route.
- The August 21 expanded list covered 11 colleges.
- Participating institutions include Kalindi College, Lakshmibai College, Rajdhani College, Shyam Lal College and others.
- Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College were among the earlier colleges using the mechanism.
- Selected BA and BSc programmes are among the courses covered.
- Not every programme at the participating colleges is available without CUET.
- Applicants must satisfy programme-specific Class 12 eligibility.
- Admission depends on merit and remaining vacancies.
- This process is separate from the regular CUET-CSAS system.
- DU's CSAS Spot Round 1 application is scheduled to begin on August 23, 2026.
- Candidates should check the latest university and individual college notices because the list of vacancies is evolving.
- The university has continued expanding the mechanism as additional vacancies are identified.
- Candidates should use the official DU website for authoritative admission information.
FAQs
Can I get admission to DU in 2026 without CUET?
Yes, but only in selected colleges and programmes where DU has permitted vacant seats to be filled using Class 12 merit. This is not applicable to all DU admissions.
Has DU removed CUET for undergraduate admission?
No. CUET remains the primary admission route. Class 12 merit admission is a limited vacancy-filling exception.
How many DU colleges are admitting students on Class 12 marks?
The August 21 expanded notice covered 11 colleges, although subsequent reporting indicates DU has continued adding approved colleges/courses as vacancies are identified.
Which colleges are offering admission without CUET?
The 11-college list includes Kalindi College, P.G.D.A.V. College (Evening), Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening), Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Lakshmibai College, Vivekanand College, Rajdhani College, Shyam Lal College, Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women, Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College.
Are all courses at these colleges available without CUET?
No. Only specifically notified courses with vacant seats are included.
What marks will DU consider?
For this special admission route, the university/college will consider Class 12 merit, subject to programme-specific eligibility requirements.
Can students who did not appear for CUET apply?
Eligible students can seek admission under the Class 12 merit route for the specifically notified vacant seats, subject to the relevant college and programme conditions.
Is admission guaranteed if I have good Class 12 marks?
No. Admission depends on eligibility, merit, the number of applicants and available seats.
When does DU CSAS Spot Round 1 start?
The current schedule says Spot Round 1 applications begin August 23, 2026, with the seat allotment scheduled for August 25.
Where can I check the official DU admission notice?
Use the university's official website:
The official Class 12 merit admission notice is also available here:
