As you step out of the Vishwavidyalaya metro station, the nearest one for the North Campus of Delhi University, you hear the names of some highly prestigious colleges being shouted out. “Hindu, Stephens”, “Ramjas, Kirori Mal”, “Miranda, Khalsa,” scream e-rickshaw drivers eager to take you there. These days, however, you’d be forgiven for thinking they are shouting to offer seats there, more probably in Sanskrit.

Two months ago, when DU opened the undergraduate admission process, a large number of students and their parents were praying fervently for a seat, preferably in the college of their choice, but any good college would do if that did not work out. Three rounds and one ‘spot’ round later, the university announced an “on-the-spot mop-up” round and advertised how many seats were vacan

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