Day two at Delhi University: Freshers begin finding their place on campus

On Tuesday, they arrived with their parents and their paperwork. Today they came alone, with a slightly better sense of where things are and a slightly worse sense of what to do next. The second day at Delhi University’s North Campus has that particular quality: the family has gone home, the WhatsApp groups are still chaotic, and the actual business of becoming a DU student has quietly, irreversibly begun.

The benches outside Hindu College’s main building were full by 9.30 am. A boy from Muzaffarpur sat with a notebook he had not opened yet, watching older students walk past with the specific confidence of people who know which chai stall serves the better cup. He did not know yet. He would find out.

His name is Rohit. He is studying Political Science. He got through in the second round of CSAS after spending two weeks certain he had missed his chance.

“When the first list came, my name was not there. I didn’t tell my parents. I just kept refreshing the portal,” he said. “When the second list came, I called home and cried. I don’t think I even heard what my mother said. I just knew I was in.” He came to Delhi three days ago. He has not slept well. He finds the city too loud at night. “At home it is quiet by 9 pm. Here there is noise at 2 am. I don’t know what people are doing, but they are doing it loudly,” he said, smiling in a way that suggested he would get used to it.

Across the gate, near Miranda House, a group of four girls sat on the steps sharing one umbrella and two packets of biscuits. They had met yesterday during orientation and discovered they were all from different states. One from Nagpur, one from Lucknow, one from Siliguri, one from Jaipur. They had already decided to find a room together if possible.

Priyanka, from Siliguri, said she had never lived this far from home. “My mother called me six times yesterday. I told her I was fine each time. I was not fine each time,” she said. “But today is better. Yesterday I didn’t know anyone. Today I know three people.”

Outside the Kirori Mal College canteen, the line for tea stretched to the corridor. A boy from Meerut explained the queue to two freshers who had been standing in the wrong place for ten minutes. He graduated last year. He was back on campus to meet a professor. “This campus pulls you back,” he said simply.

In the reading room of the central library, a girl from Ranchi sat with three textbooks she had bought the previous evening from the stalls near the campus. She had not started any of them. She was reading a novel. “I have my whole degree for the textbooks,” she said. “Today I just want to sit in a library. I have always wanted to sit in this library.”

A security guard near the university gates, who has worked there for fourteen years, watched the freshers cycling back and forth between building entrances, looking at maps on their phones, turning wrong at the same junction over and over. “Two weeks,” he said. “After two weeks they stop looking lost.”

Day two was still within that window. Most of them were still looking. And most of them, quietly, were exactly where they had always wanted to be.

DU Announces Mid-Entry from August 3 to 5 As UG Admissions Cross 71,000

New Delhi: Delhi University on Wednesday announced the schedule for the mid-entry and third round of undergraduate admissions under the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS), even as admissions for the 2026-27 academic session crossed the 71,000 mark. According to the university, a total of 71,342 candidates had secured undergraduate admissions as of 6.30 pm on Wednesday. The university also said 25,088 candidates opted for the “Upgrade” option after the second round of allocations, while 32,233 candidates chose to “Freeze” their allotted seats. As per a new notification by the university, the upgraded allocations, along with first allocation list for the ward quota, will be declared on August 1.

Colleges will verify and approve the applications by August 3 and students will have to complete their payment by August 4. As per the fresh admission schedule, candidates who did not apply earlier or wish to participate through the mid-entry window will be able to register from August 3 to 11.59 pm on August 5. The university clarified that the candidates who failed to apply to CSAS (UG)-2026 Phase-I or complete Phase-II can take part in the mid-entry round by paying an additional fee of Rs 1000.