Delhi University Admissions: Traditional Top Colleges Slip in Student Preferences
The undergraduate admission process at Delhi University has seen a notable shift in college preferences this year, with Dyal Singh College entering the top six most preferred colleges, while traditional frontrunners like Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), St Stephen’s College, and Miranda House have dropped out of the top five, according to data from the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS).
University officials have urged caution, noting that the admission process is still underway and that variations in seat capacity may be influencing the trend. Dyal Singh College, for instance, has approximately 800 more seats than St Stephen’s College, which could partly explain the change, a senior official said.
Preferences submitted by candidates as of Sunday evening indicate that the hierarchy of sought-after colleges continues to evolve under the CSAS, introduced alongside the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) in 2022. This year, the top colleges include Kirori Mal College, Hansraj College, Hindu College, Sri Venkateswara College, Ramjas College, and Dyal Singh College.
Comparing across the CUET era, preferences have shifted. In 2022, Ramjas, Kirori Mal, Sri Venkateswara, Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, Hansraj, and SRCC were top choices. In 2023, Kirori Mal led, followed by Hindu and Hansraj. In 2025, SRCC topped the chart, with Hindu, Hansraj, St Stephen’s, and Miranda House following. This year, Kirori Mal is back on top, with Sri Venkateswara, Ramjas, and Dyal Singh replacing the traditional frontrunners.
Despite the changing preferences for colleges, student choices for programmes have remained consistent. Commerce courses continue to dominate, with B.Com (Honours) and B.Com being the most sought-after programmes. Other popular courses include BA (Honours) English, BA (Honours) Political Science, the BA Programme combination of History and Political Science, BA (Honours) History, and B.Sc. (Honours) Zoology.
As of Sunday evening, 2,73,751 candidates had registered on the CSAS portal, with 2,18,284 completing their registrations. The admission process is ongoing, and final trends may emerge as more data becomes available.
