# Delhi University allows direct PhD entry for first FYUP batch 2026-08-21T14:21:04+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Delhi University has announced that students from the first batch of its Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) who have a CGPA of 7.5 or above (7.0 for SC/ST) can apply directly for PhD programmes for the 2026-27 academic session. The university said the FYUP was introduced under the National Education Policy 2020 and that its ordinances have been amended to allow this pathway. Hindustan Times reports that 75,948 students enrolled in FYUP in 2022-23. Of these, 40,005 exited after three years, while 35,943 continued into the fourth year. Of those, 12,111 applied for one-year PG programmes. The Times of India adds that DU Registrar Vikas Gupta said eligible students will have to sit for an entrance test but no interview. The measure is a one-time relaxation for the first batch due to teething issues, and will not apply to later batches. The Times of India also notes that some executive council members objected, saying the proposal was not thorough. They pointed out that students without a master's degree may face problems applying for teaching jobs or taking the NET exam. They also argued that admitting PhD students without an interview lacks a credible method to ensure research viability. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both Hindustan Times and Times of India report the facts neutrally, but Times of India gives more space to objections from executive council members, highlighting potential pitfalls like ineligibility for NET and teaching posts. Hindustan Times focuses on the university's official rationale and numbers. The measured takeaway is that while DU has opened a direct PhD path for the inaugural FYUP batch as a special measure, unresolved structural issues around master's degree requirements for careers remain. Watch for the entrance test dates and how many students actually apply. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Presents DU's announcement and enrolment numbers without commentary or criticism. - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Reports the decision and includes objections from council members, balancing the official account. This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T08:56:35+00:00. Tags: Delhi University, FYUP, NEP 2020, PhD admissions Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-university-allows-direct-phd-entry-for-fyup-students/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/delhi-university-allows-direct-phd-entry-for-fyup-students/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/