DU allows direct admission to Phd after 4-year UG programme, no master's needed

Delhi University has opened a direct PhD route for its first four-year undergraduate batch. Students meeting the CGPA requirement can skip a master's degree, but the provision is currently for 2026-27.Delhi University has opened a direct PhD route for its first four-year undergraduate batch. (Photo: Pinterest)The University of Delhi has cleared a new academic pathway that could allow eligible four-year undergraduate students to move directly into PhD programmes without completing a master’s degree.The provision will benefit the first batch of students completing DU’s Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) in 2026 and will apply as a special measure for the 2026-27 academic session, the university said.Under the new rule, students completing the fourth year with a minimum 7.5 CGPA can apply directly for PhD programmes. For SC/ST students, the minimum requirement is 7 CGPA.DU said its ordinances have been amended after approval from the Academic Council and Executive Council to formally include the provision. WHAT DU’S FIRST FYUP BATCH LOOKS LIKEDU introduced FYUP under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022, in line with the National Education Policy 2020, from the 2022-23 academic session.A total of 75,948 students enrolled in the first batch. However, not all continued for four years. According to DU, 40,005 students exited after completing three years in 2025, while 35,943 opted to continue into the fourth year. Of those continuing into the fourth year, 12,111 students applied for DU’s one-year postgraduate programmes for 2026-27, accounting for 34.27% of the fourth-year cohort.WHY THE FOURTH YEAR MATTERSDU said the fourth-year programme is designed to bring research and entrepreneurship into undergraduate education and align Indian degrees with global academic standards.Students choosing academic projects in the fourth year are required to identify a real-world problem and work towards finding a solution.The university has also said that students completing FYUP do not necessarily need to pursue a master’s degree, as an academic pathway to doctoral study has already been provided.For the 2026-27 PhD admissions, fourth-year students who meet the prescribed CGPA can therefore apply directly. The university clarified that this direct PhD provision is currently a special measure for the 2026-27 academic session.- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Aug 21, 2026 19:11 IST