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Delhi University's undergraduate admission process is witnessing a notable change in student preferences under the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS). This year, applicants appear to be making more calculated decisions while selecting colleges, resulting in a reshuffle of the university's most preferred institutions. 

According to reports, Colleges such as Dayal Singh College, Shri Venkateswara College, Kirori Mal College (KMC) and Ramjas College have gained significant popularity. Meanwhile, long-standing favourites including Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), St Stephen's College and Miranda House are no longer among the five most preferred colleges. 

The shift comes as Delhi University records more than 2.18 lakh completed registrations for undergraduate admissions. Female candidates continue to outnumber male applicants, while BCom (Honours) remains the most sought-after undergraduate course. 

Students Are Rethinking Their College Preferences 

According to a report by The Indian Express, this year's admission cycle reflects a major change in the way candidates are filling their college preference lists under the CSAS admission process. 

For the first time in several years, Dayal Singh College has secured a place among Delhi University's six most preferred colleges. Shri Venkateswara College has also emerged as one of the top choices for applicants. 

As a result, institutions that traditionally dominated the preference list, including SRCC, St Stephen's College and Miranda House, have slipped out of the top five. 

University officials, however, have urged students and parents not to read too much into the current trends. They pointed out that the admission process is still ongoing, and both candidate preferences and seat allocation patterns may change in the coming rounds. 

CUET-CSAS Has Changed How Students Choose Colleges 

The introduction of CUET and the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) in 2022 has significantly influenced the admission process. 

While Kirori Mal College (KMC) continues to rank among the university's most preferred institutions, Dayal Singh College, Shri Venkateswara College and Ramjas College have witnessed a sharp increase in demand. 

According to university officials, students are now making more informed choices because they already know their CUET scores before submitting preferences. Instead of relying only on a college's reputation, many applicants are also considering previous admission trends, seat availability and their chances of securing admission to their preferred programme. 

Seat Capacity Playing a Bigger Role 

According to the report, Officials believe that the number of seats available is one of the biggest reasons behind the changing preference pattern. 

For example, Dayal Singh College offers nearly 800 more seats than St Stephen's College, making it a more practical choice for many aspirants aiming to secure admission. 

They also emphasised that the admission process has not yet concluded, and the final trends will become clearer after seat allocation. However, they acknowledged that under the CUET-CSAS system, applicants are increasingly balancing a college's reputation with seat availability, reflecting a more practical and data-driven approach. 

BCom (Honours) Remains the Top Course Choice 

Although students are changing their preferred colleges, course preferences have largely remained the same. 

BCom (Honours) continues to be Delhi University's most popular undergraduate programme, attracting 48,336 first-preference applications. It is followed by BA (Honours), Political Science and BSc (Honours) Zoology. 

In the overall programme preference list, BCom (Honours) and BCom continue to dominate, followed by BA (Honours) English, BA (Honours) Political Science, BA Programme (History-Political Science combination), BA (Honours) History, and BSc (Honours) Zoology. 

Figures from the previous admission cycle also showed a similar pattern, with BCom (Honours) receiving 19.90 lakh programme preferences, followed by BCom with 15.26 lakh and BA (Honours) English with 12.23 lakh. 

More Than 2.18 Lakh Students Complete Registration 

Delhi University has recorded strong participation in this year's admission process. 

Official figures show that 2,73,751 candidates registered on the CSAS portal, while 2,18,284 completed the registration process. More than 2.06 lakh applicants have already submitted their preferred courses and colleges. 

Women continue to account for the majority of applicants. A total of 1,20,509 female candidates completed registration, compared with 97,775 male candidates, meaning women represent more than 53 per cent of registered applicants. 

Competition remains intense, with more than 2 lakh candidates competing for nearly 71,600 undergraduate seats across 73 programmes offered by 69 colleges and academic departments. Delhi University is also offering around 150 subject combinations under the BA Programme.  

First Seat Allotment List on July 16 

Delhi University has already released the simulated ranks, enabling applicants to estimate their admission prospects based on their CUET scores and submitted preferences before the first round of seat allocation. 

Candidates can edit their course and college preferences until 4:59 PM on July 13. 

The first CSAS seat allotment list will be announced on July 16, and candidates who receive seats must accept them by July 18. 

Document verification by colleges will continue until July 20, while the deadline for fee payment in the first round is July 21. The second seat allotment list is scheduled to be published on July 25. 

Practical Decision-Making Is Reshaping DU Admissions 

According to the report, the latest admission trends suggest that the CUET-CSAS framework is gradually changing how students approach Delhi University admissions. 

While the reputation of a college remains important, applicants are increasingly giving equal importance to seat availability and the likelihood of securing admission to their preferred course. 

The growing popularity of Dayal Singh College and Shri Venkateswara College reflects this shift, showing that many students now prioritise admission certainty over the traditional prestige associated with certain colleges.