Delhi University has expanded its Class 12 marks-based undergraduate admission route to nine more colleges for the 2026-27 academic session. Admissions under this special route will be considered on Class 12 merit for selected programmes and will not require CUET-UG 2026 scores.

With this addition, the number of DU colleges offering selected undergraduate seats through Class 12 merit has risen to 35. The opportunity is intended to fill vacant seats left after the regular CUET-based admission rounds. Students must satisfy the programme-specific eligibility conditions and follow the admission instructions issued by the concerned college.

The nine newly added colleges and their programmes are listed below. Since applications, merit lists, document verification and fee-payment schedules may differ by college, applicants should check the latest notice issued by the respective institution immediately.

Key Highlights

• DU has added nine more colleges to the Class 12 merit-based UG admission route.
• The total number of colleges offering selected seats through this route has reached 35.
• CUET-UG 2026 scores are not required for the specified programmes under this special admission route.
• Admissions are being offered only for selected undergraduate programmes, not all courses in the participating colleges.
• The route is intended to fill vacant seats remaining after regular CUET-based admission rounds.
• Eligibility, application mode, merit calculation and deadlines are college- and programme-specific.
• Students already admitted to a DU college cannot seek another DU admission through the Class 12 marks-based route.
• CUET remains the standard admission route for most DU undergraduate programmes.

DU UG Admission 2026 Without CUET: What Has Changed?

Delhi University’s regular undergraduate admission process is conducted through CUET-UG followed by the Common Seat Allocation System. However, after several rounds of CUET-based admissions, some colleges reported vacant seats in specific programmes.

As a special measure, DU has allowed selected colleges to admit students on the basis of their Class 12 marks. This does not replace the university’s centralised CUET admission system. It is a limited, vacancy-driven arrangement applicable only to the programmes mentioned in the college notices.

The latest expansion follows earlier DU notices issued on August 20 and August 21, 2026, which covered other colleges and programmes. The university has now added nine further colleges, taking the reported total to 35.

Nine More DU Colleges Offering Class 12 Merit-Based UG Admission

The programme list is limited to the courses identified in the relevant admission notices. A college may not offer every programme listed above in every category, and seats may be subject to availability, reservation rules and reconciliation of vacancies.

Earlier DU Colleges Included in the Merit-Based Route

Before the latest expansion, DU had permitted Class 12 marks-based admissions in colleges including Kalindi College, Zakir Husain Delhi College (Evening), Lakshmibai College, Rajdhani College, Shyama Prasad Mukherji College for Women, P.G.D.A.V. College (Evening), Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Vivekanand College, Shyam Lal College, Aditi Mahavidyalaya and Bhagini Nivedita College.

Another notice had added colleges such as Deshbandhu College, Dyal Singh College (Evening), Institute of Home Economics, Maharaja Agrasen College, Satyawati College, Satyawati College (Evening), Shaheed Rajguru College of Applied Sciences for Women, Sri Aurobindo College and Swami Shraddhanand College, among others.

The final list of available courses and seats can change because of admissions, withdrawals, cancellations and document-verification outcomes. Students should rely on the latest notice of the concerned college rather than older lists circulated online.

Important Dates and Current Status

DU has not announced one common application calendar for all 35 colleges under the Class 12 merit route. Each participating college may prescribe its own application deadline, merit-list date, verification schedule and fee-payment deadline.

Some deadlines connected with earlier notices may already have passed by August 23, 2026. Students should not assume that a college is still accepting applications merely because it appears in a consolidated list.

Who Can Apply for DU Admission Based on Class 12 Marks?

The route is meant for candidates who meet the eligibility requirements of the specific programme and the participating college. The exact conditions may include:

• Passing Class 12 or an equivalent qualifying examination from a recognised board.
• Having studied the subjects required for the chosen programme.
• Meeting the minimum percentage or subject-wise conditions prescribed in the applicable DU admission rules.
• Submitting authentic marksheets, certificates and category documents, where applicable.
• Applying within the college’s notified deadline.
• Accepting admission only if the candidate has not already taken admission in another DU college.

Class 12 marks are used for preparing the merit list under this special route. A high board percentage alone does not guarantee admission because selection also depends on programme eligibility, category, seat availability and the number of applicants.

Is CUET Required for These DU Seats?

No. Candidates applying for the specified programmes through the Class 12 merit-based route do not need CUET-UG 2026 scores for consideration under that particular admission notice.

However, students should not interpret this as a general change in DU’s admission policy. CUET remains the primary route for most DU undergraduate programmes. A candidate who wants to apply through regular DU UG admission must continue to follow the CUET and CSAS requirements applicable to that process.

How the Class 12 Merit-Based Admission Process Works

1. Identify a participating college and an eligible programme.
2. Read the latest college notice carefully, including the minimum eligibility conditions and application deadline.
3. Complete the application form in the mode specified by the college.
4. Enter Class 12 marks exactly as recorded on the official marksheet.
5. Upload or submit the required documents and certificates.
6. Check the college’s merit list or selection notice.
7. Attend online or physical document verification, as instructed.
8. Pay the admission fee within the notified deadline.
9. Obtain confirmation of admission from the college and retain all payment and verification records.

The process may be conducted through an online college form, a physical submission process or a combination of both. Candidates must follow the procedure specified by the individual college instead of assuming that the regular CSAS workflow will apply.

Documents Students Should Keep Ready

• Class 10 certificate or marksheet for date-of-birth verification.
• Class 12 marksheet or provisional marksheet.
• Class 12 passing certificate, wherever issued separately.
• Transfer certificate or school-leaving certificate, if required.
• Character certificate, if required by the college.
• Migration certificate for candidates from boards or institutions where it is applicable.
• Passport-size photographs.
• Government-issued identity proof.
• Category certificate for SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS or other applicable categories.
• Disability certificate for candidates applying under the BD category.
• Sports, ECA, CW or other supporting certificates, where applicable.
• Copies of the submitted application form and fee-payment receipt.

Document requirements can differ across colleges. Candidates should carry both original documents and self-attested copies if physical verification is required.

How Will the Merit List Be Prepared?

For these selected seats, the college will generally prepare merit using the Class 12 marks of eligible applicants, subject to the programme-specific rules. The notice may prescribe the subjects or aggregate marks to be considered.

If two or more applicants have similar marks, the college or university may apply the tie-breaking rules stated in the relevant notice. Candidates should not calculate their merit using a formula from the regular CUET-based CSAS process unless the college specifically instructs them to do so.

Are Cutoffs Available for DU Class 12 Merit Admission?

There is no single university-wide cutoff for this special admission route. The effective merit level will depend on the number of applicants, available seats, category-wise distribution and the marks submitted by candidates.

Colleges may publish a merit list, minimum marks, selected-candidate list or programme-wise admission notice. Students should distinguish between:

• Eligibility marks: The minimum marks required to apply.
• Merit marks: The marks used to rank eligible applicants.
• Selection cutoff: The marks of the last candidate selected in a particular programme and category.

A previous year’s DU cutoff or a CUET score cannot be treated as the cutoff for these Class 12-based seats.

Fees and Seat Availability

DU has not announced one common fee structure for all colleges and programmes under this route. The payable amount may vary according to the college, programme, category and applicable university charges.

Similarly, the number of vacant seats is programme-specific and may change during the admission process. Vacancies can be affected by withdrawals, cancellations, non-reporting and document-verification issues. Candidates should rely on the latest college notice for the available seats and fee amount.

What Students Should Do on August 23, 2026

1. Check whether the desired college and programme appear in the latest DU or college notice.
2. Confirm that the Class 12 subjects and marks satisfy the programme requirements.
3. Check whether the application window is still open.
4. Submit the form before the college-specific deadline if applications are being accepted.
5. Keep the original documents ready for verification.
6. Monitor the merit-list and reporting notice issued by the college.
7. Do not pay money to unauthorised agents or rely on unofficial admission promises.
8. If already admitted to a DU college, do not apply for a second DU seat through this route without understanding the university’s restriction.

What Happens If a Student Misses the Deadline?

Admission after the deadline is not guaranteed. A college may refuse late applications, reopen the window only if seats remain vacant or issue a separate notice for a later round. Candidates should not assume that the deadline will be extended.

If a student misses the application, verification or fee-payment deadline, the seat may be offered to another eligible applicant. Any extension or additional merit list must be confirmed through a fresh official notice from the concerned college.

Important Difference Between Regular DU Admission and This Route

What Happens Next?

The next steps will be handled by the participating colleges. They may publish application forms, provisional merit lists, document-verification schedules, selected-candidate lists and fee-payment instructions separately.

DU may also update the list if additional colleges seek permission to fill vacant seats or if existing vacancies change. No common future schedule for all 35 colleges has been confirmed. Students should therefore monitor the DU admission portal and the relevant college notice boards regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many DU colleges are offering Class 12 merit-based UG admission in 2026?

After the latest expansion, the number of colleges offering selected undergraduate seats through Class 12 marks has reached 35.

Do I need CUET-UG 2026 for these admissions?

No. CUET-UG 2026 is not required for the specific programmes covered by the Class 12 merit-based notices. CUET remains necessary for most regular DU undergraduate admissions.

Which new DU colleges have been added?

The nine additional colleges are Indraprastha College for Women, Mata Sundri College for Women, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, Sri Aurobindo College (Evening), Motilal Nehru College (Evening), Shyam Lal College (Evening), Ramanujan College, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences and Gargi College.

Which courses are available through this route?

The listed programmes include selected B.A. and B.Sc. courses in Hindi, Sanskrit, Punjabi, Mathematics, Economics, English, History, Political Science, Computer Applications, Electronics, Instrumentation and Polymer Science.

Is there one common last date for all colleges?

No. Application, merit-list, verification and fee-payment dates may differ by college and programme.

Can a student already admitted to DU apply again through Class 12 marks?

DU has stated that students who already have admission in a DU college cannot seek another admission through the Class 12 marks-based route.

Will admission be conducted through CSAS?

The Class 12 merit route is being handled through college-specific instructions for the notified programmes. Candidates should follow the application and verification method stated by the concerned college rather than assuming that regular CSAS procedures will apply.

Are the seats available in all categories?

Seat availability and reservation distribution depend on the programme and college. Candidates should check the category-wise information in the latest applicable notice.

Can I use an old DU cutoff to predict admission?

No. These admissions are based on current Class 12 merit and the vacancies reported by each college. Previous CUET cutoffs or earlier DU merit lists may not accurately predict selection.

Useful Links

University of Delhi Admission Portal: https://admission.uod.ac.in/

University of Delhi Official Website: https://www.du.ac.in/