Seat cuts would seem to be the new academic epidemic as Delhi University’s English department has reduced the number of seats in its master’s programme by almost 30 per cent this year. Contrary to the 425 seats offered last year, only 299 students have been allotted seats inclusive of all categories, including those admitted through direct and entrance-based modes, reported the Indian Express. 

Further complicating this is the fact that many teachers seemed unaware of this. The Express quoted an English teacher at Dyal Singh College, Sachin N saying that “this was not intimated to the university’s supreme academic body. We, as academic council members, met over three days in June and the administration never revealed anything about seat reduction in English or any other discipline. The university owes us an explanation.”

Students who qualify entrance tests are admitted to the colleges in north and south campuses of DU while it has 50 per cent reservation for students who have graduated from the university. Additionally, Express quoted the department head saying that the seats have been cut as the department exceeded the figure sanctioned by University Grants Commission.