Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education, Human Resources
Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
DU’s Cut-off reflects a broken system
Context: Delhi University (DU)’s first cut-off list for admission to its undergraduate programmes was announced on October 10, and it touched the 100% ceiling for the first time since 2011.
Cut-offs are decided by calculating the best of four subjects’ marks in Class 12 board exams
For Example: The Lady Sri Ram (LSR) College of DU has pegged the cut off at 100 % for three undergraduate programmes—Psychology (Hons), Economics (Hons), and Political Science (Hons)
Do You Know?
As many as 5,500 students out of 3.54 lakh students, who have applied for admission in Delhi University, have scored perfect 100% in their four best subjects.
This is not the first time when the cut off for admission in Delhi University has gone up to reach 100%. In 2015, the College of Vocational Studies and Indraprastha College had also kept the cut off at 100 % for admission to Computer Science.
What explains the high cut-offs?
One, there is a higher number of applications vis-a-vis the number of seats.
Two, the Class 12 evaluation process is distorted, leading to such high marks
Three, colleges set high cut-offs to prevent “over admissions”.
Four, there is a paucity of good-quality public universities.
And finally, students are attracted to Delhi due to its academic and physical infrastructure, extra-curricular activities, and scholarships; the opportunity to interact with a diverse student population; and eventually access better job opportunities
What does the Phenomenon of High Cut-offs indicate?
The phenomenon of high cut-offs is not just an academic-administrative problem.
It is a subset of more critical issues that ail the education system, and the lack of democratisation of resources.
Way Ahead
To improve, the Centre and states must invest more in public education;
Need to boost academic infrastructure across the country;
Governments have to make the Class 12 evaluation process more holistic;
Administration has to ensure that all students, irrespective of where they are studying, get a level-playing field when it comes to availing good teachers and infrastructure.
