DU Allows Direct PhD Admission After 4-Year UG Degree Without Master’s

The University of Delhi has introduced a direct pathway to PhD programmes for eligible students completing its four-year undergraduate programme, allowing them to apply for doctoral studies without first obtaining a master’s degree.

The provision will apply to students from the first batch of Delhi University's Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP), who are completing their fourth year in 2026. The university has introduced the measure for the 2026-27 academic session.

Students who complete the fourth year of their undergraduate programme with a minimum CGPA of 7.5 will be eligible to apply directly for PhD programmes. The minimum CGPA requirement for SC and ST students has been set at 7.

The university has amended its ordinances to formally include the provision after receiving approval from its Academic Council and Executive Council.

DU FYUP First Batch and Student Numbers

Delhi University introduced the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework 2022, in line with the National Education Policy 2020, beginning with the 2022-23 academic session.

A total of 75,948 students enrolled in the first FYUP batch. Of these, 40,005 students exited after completing three years in 2025, while 35,943 students chose to continue into the fourth year.

Among the students who continued with the fourth year, 12,111 applied for Delhi University's one-year postgraduate programmes for the 2026-27 academic session. This represents around 34.27% of the fourth-year cohort.

Direct PhD Admission After Four-Year Undergraduate Degree

The fourth year of the programme has been designed to provide students with greater exposure to research, innovation and entrepreneurship while aligning undergraduate education with broader academic standards.

Students undertaking academic projects during the fourth year are expected to identify real-world problems and work towards developing possible solutions.

Under the new academic pathway, eligible FYUP students who meet the prescribed CGPA criteria can directly apply for PhD programmes without completing a postgraduate degree first.

The direct PhD admission provision is currently being implemented as a special measure for the 2026-27 academic session. Eligible fourth-year undergraduate students can apply for doctoral programmes under the revised rules for the upcoming admission cycle.