DU eases passing criteria for 2025-26 batch, teachers raise timing and transparency concerns

The University of Delhi has introduced a one-time relaxation in promotion requirements for students from the 2025-26 academic batch, allowing them to advance without meeting the previously prescribed credit threshold.

According to a notification issued by the university's Controller of Examinations, students from the 2025-26 batch who have completed one year of study will not be required to secure 28 credits out of 44 credits for promotion.

The exemption is limited to the 2025-26 academic batch and will not extend to students from subsequent batches.

The university said all other provisions contained in its earlier notifications will continue to remain applicable. The decision, it said, was taken with the approval of the competent authority.

The move has drawn questions from Delhi University teachers, particularly over why the relaxation was introduced at this stage of the academic year and without an explanation of the circumstances behind it.

Teachers have also questioned the impact of changing promotion requirements after students from the affected batch had already progressed into their third semester.

Abha Dev Habib, secretary of the Delhi University Teachers' Federation (DTF) and an associate professor at Miranda House, questioned the absence of details explaining the need for the one-time exemption.

"Passing criteria for a specific batch (2025-26) are being relaxed without explaining which circumstances, hardships or systemic failure warrant such a change," Habib said.

She also raised the possibility that a large number of students may have failed to meet the existing promotion requirement, asking whether this could have influenced the decision.

Habib further questioned whether the relaxation could result in selective benefits and referred to what she described as earlier instances in which academic qualification requirements had been changed.

The timing of the notification was another concern raised by Habib. She pointed out that classes for the third semester had started on July 28, while examination results continued to be released through August.

She questioned whether promotion requirements should be revised after students had already entered the next semester.

"Transparency and stability of the examination system is an important aspect for a good university. DU is being systemically damaged," she said.

Rudrashish Chakraborty, DTF treasurer, associate professor in the Department of English at Kirori Mal College and a former member of the university's Academic Council, also questioned the decision.

Chakraborty alleged that the notification reflected "incompetence" in managing the increasing number of papers introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP). He also raised concerns about how the policy was being implemented at the university.

He further alleged that the relaxation could potentially benefit an individual with political connections and questioned whether the decision pointed to inadequate preparation for implementing the NEP.

The university's notification does not provide details about the circumstances or reasons that prompted the one-time exemption for the 2025-26 batch.