Delhi University Over-Allocates 21,000 Seats in First Round Amid Vacancy Battle

Delhi University has made an assertive move in its 2026-27 undergraduate admissions, allotting a staggering 21,409 extra seats in its first allocation round, bringing the total allotments to 93,033 against 71,624 available seats. This strategic 'over-allocation' saw 66,251 candidates accept their provisional seats within a day of the list's release, signaling a proactive approach by the university to streamline its highly competitive admission process. This aggressive strategy directly addresses DU persistent challenge of thousands of vacant seats, a recurring problem especially since the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) was introduced in 2022. Historically, the university has seen up to 9,000 to 12,000 seats go unfilled in previous academic cycles, particularly in less sought-after colleges and courses. By making these additional allocations in programmes that traditionally struggle to fill up, DU aims to maximize seat occupancy from the outset, though no extra seats were offered in highly popular courses like Economics (Honours) or at institutions like Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC). With the first round's acceptance period now closed (July 18), successful candidates have until July 21 to finalize their fee payments, while colleges are verifying applications. Students eyeing a better course or college can opt for the 'upgrade' feature, with the second allocation list set to drop on July 25. The new academic session for these eager students is slated to commence swiftly thereafter, on July 28.