What DU cut-offs do to your family and relatives

I expected this week to be uneventful. Like the calm before the storm. The storm being the announcement of cut-offs. But the admission fever finds a way to keep students and their equally worried parents on their toes.

In keeping with the tradition of functioning independent of other Delhi University (DU) colleges, St Stephen's released the cut-offs for admission much before others. The percentages, as expected by many hypothesisers, have increased even further than last year. The cut-off was 99 per cent for English (for Commerce applicants). My question is, why'd they stop one per cent short? Why not just go for cent per cent? At least, that way they'd have no records to beat next year.

Even the principal of St Stephen's, Valson Thampu, acknowledged the issue at hand: "It is absolutely certain an Albert Einstein or a Max Plank would not make the grade today for college admissions, if they were to try." Well said sir. My constant rants about the illogical education system have been strengthened by only one of the most important persons in DU! I still don't understand why no one can do something about the problem that they all seem to realise and resent.

Later in the week, the Times of India did an article featuring statistics showing the number of applicants for each subject. These figures made my stomach turn. The undergraduate (UG) course for English has registered the highest number of applicants. A whopping "90,331 against 2,500 seats". Feeling uneasy, I wondered where I'd figure in that.

I remember the days when admission in Bachelors of Arts (BA) English Honours was more dependent on the performance in the entrance test. A system which admits an applicant on the basis of merit and one which I personally prefer.

Many of my friends who opted to enrol in colleges through entrance examinations have already secured seats. Don't I envy them, sitting pretty, with just the ragging to worry about now!

The first list of cut-offs of other colleges of the DU comes out on June 25. So next week will probably be a little tumultuous, with everyone rushing to enrol in a college of their preference. Or whichever college accepts them, seeing the high bar of percentages that's expected to be set. Beggars can't be choosers after all.

A polite request to relatives. Please rein in judgemental comments about the children in your relations seeking admission this year. It's easy to criticise from the sidelines.