Delhi University's Tighter Calendar Leaves Outstation Students Struggling to Go Home

For students of Delhi University who come from outside the city, academic breaks are often the only chance to travel home. However, a tighter academic calendar and fewer extended holidays in the new session have made it difficult for many to plan trips around classes, assignments, and attendance requirements.

The newly issued academic calendar has drawn criticism for providing limited breaks during major festivals. The week-long Deepavali break has been removed, with a holiday only on the day of the festival, which this year falls on a Sunday. For Navratri, which begins on October 11, holidays have been granted only from October 18, covering Ashtami, Navami and Dasara.

The winter break is scheduled from December 25 to 31 – seven days – with the even semester beginning on January 1, 2027, leaving little time for students to travel, celebrate, and return. “For students coming from far-off States, this is not practical,” said Arnav Vaid, a BCom student at Hansraj College from Jammu and Kashmir. “With ticket prices so high, we cannot spend ₹10,000 to ₹15,000 for a break of just five to seven days.”

According to the academic calendar, the total number of holidays stands at 72 days this year, compared to 71 days last year. However, students note that in practice, holidays are often reduced. In the 2025–26 session, although 71 days were scheduled, students effectively received 53 days due to extended examinations and delayed breaks.

University officials, however, said the calendar has been framed in accordance with University Grants Commission norms. “There have to be 90 teaching days per semester, which we are following,” an official said.

A faculty member involved in preparing timetables, speaking on condition of anonymity, said provisions exist to revise holidays later. “There is one day for Deepavali now, and more days might be added later as the university has the provision to do so. This is done later in the year after examination days are calculated,” the faculty member said. Since the Common University Entrance Test became the basis of admissions in 2022–23, delays in the NTA-led process have pushed back sessions. In 2022, undergraduate classes began in November, nearly three months later than usual.

Students also point to the university’s past record of deviating from its own calendar. In the 2025–26 session, theory examinations were held on January 1, 2026, and classes resumed the next day, effectively eliminating the winter break despite the calendar indicating a break from December 28 to January 1. In practice, the winter break was reduced further depending on exam schedules, leaving some students with little or no break at all.

Tusti Mehra, a History student at Lady Shri Ram College, said frequent revisions to the calendar add to the uncertainty. “Revised schedules are often issued just weeks in advance, forcing students to cancel travel plans, which leads to financial losses as well as emotional stress,” she said.

“Within such a short time frame, it is difficult to unwind or prepare for the next semester,” said Pavani Chourasia, a third-year History student at Hindu College, adding that shorter breaks also limit opportunities for winter internships.

Faculty members, however, say the issue reflects structural constraints rather than administrative disregard. Abha Dev Habib, a professor at Miranda House, said starting the academic session on July 28 could mean that admissions are still underway when classes begin.

“Students admitted in later rounds may already be behind academically,” she said. “While aligning the calendar is important, the transition needs to be managed carefully.”

She added that accommodating extended festival breaks may not be feasible for a central university of this scale. “With a student population running into lakhs, it is difficult to account for every regional festival. Even a mid-semester break could become disruptive depending on when festivals fall.”