Got 7.5 CGPA? DU opens direct PhD entry for 4-year undergraduate grads without master's gap

When Delhi University rolled out its Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022 (UGCF) based on NEP 2020, it aimed to bridge Indian higher education with global academic structures.

Four years later, as the inaugural batch finishes, the university is taking a decisive step: allowing top-performing undergraduates to bypass a master's degree entirely and step straight into doctoral research.

In a official press release issued on August 21, 2026, Delhi University announced a direct PhD pathway for eligible graduates of its four-year undergraduate program. As a special measure for the 2026–27 academic session, students completing FYUP in 2026 with a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 7.5 — and 7.0 for SC/ST candidates — can apply directly for PhD programs as per university rules.

To enable this transition, Ordinance VI of the University’s Ordinances was formally amended following approval from the Academic Council and Executive Council. The update aligns higher education progression with national reform goals, offering high-achieving undergraduates a streamlined path toward research.

When the FYUP framework was introduced in the 2022-23 academic year, 75,948 students enrolled. At the end of the third year in 2025, 40,005 students chose to exit with a traditional three-year degree, while 35,943 students chose to continue into the optional fourth year designed around research, entrepreneurship, and hands-on skill development.

Demand for postgraduate options among these fourth-year graduates was strong. DU offered a one-year PG programme across 46 disciplines under the Postgraduate Curriculum Framework 2025 (PGCF), providing 5,857 seats split between regular (2,807) and Open and Distance Learning (3,035) modes.

Of the 35,943 four-year undergraduates, 12,111 applied for this one-year PG path — representing a 34.27% continuation rate and filling applicants to seats at 48.36%, a figure considerably higher than standard PG application trends.

Alongside PG capacity, DU maintained its existing two-year master's seats for students who opted out after three years. However, for those completing the full four-year track, the updated pathway removes the requirement to hold a master's degree entirely.

The curriculum design for the fourth year requires students pursuing the academic track to pick real-world problems and derive actionable solutions through research, skill-based courses, internships, and community outreach. To support innovation, 25 colleges established Skill Development Centres, backed by university funding and the Udhmodya Foundation.

Addressing the policy change, the University noted in its official release: "Accordingly, the University concurs with the comment of the retired Professor of the University, that students who complete the FYUP are not necessary to do master’s programme, and necessary track for the same has already been provided by the University."

"In the interest of the first batch of students who have completed the FYUP in 2026, the University will admit students who have 7.5 CGPA (7 CGPA for SC/ST) and above in the FYUP directly to the Ph.D programme only for the academic session 2026-27 as a special measure as per rules of the University," the release further clarified.