Govt in Lok Sabha: No decline in women’s UG admissions post-CUET

Contrary to apprehensions about the impact of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) on women’s access to higher education, data presented in Parliament shows that female enrolment at DU has not only remained steady but has consistently surpassed male admissions since is implementation in 2022.

In response to a question raised in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar stated that the number of girl students admitted to undergraduate courses at DU had increased every year since 2022. “During the same period, the number of female candidates admitted in DU is more than the number of male candidates in each year,” said Majumdar.

As per official figures, 34,010 girls secured admission in 2022-23, 36,126 in 2023-24, and 39,242 in 2024-25. In comparison, male admissions stood at 30,662, 32,425, and 33,124, respectively, for the same years.

The data also shows a surge in the number of girls taking the CUET-UG exam itself — rising from 4.29 lakh in 2022–23 to nearly 6 lakh in 2024-25.

In response to concerns that CUET might disadvantage girls from rural or remote areas, the minister emphasised the test’s inclusive design. “CUET evaluates students from various educational boards on an equal footing, ensuring a level playing field,” he said, adding that it offered “a single-window opportunity” for admission not only to DU but to a growing network of Central, state, deemed and private universities.

The number of institutions accepting CUET scores has expanded significantly, from 90 in the inaugural year to 240 in the current academic cycle.

The government also cited figures from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), which recorded a steady increase in the number of girls joining undergraduate programmes in Delhi and the NCR. From 4.09 lakh in 2020-21, the number rose to 4.25 lakh in 2021-22 and reached 4.91 lakh in 2022-23. To further encourage women’s participation in higher education, the government pointed to several ongoing initiatives. “The UGC is implementing the scheme of ‘Development of Women’s Studies in Indian Universities and Colleges’… focusing on teaching, research, curriculum development and outreach,” the statement read.

Additionally, programmes such as AICTE’s Pragati Scholarship and Department of Science and Technology’s WISE-KIRAN and SERBPOWER fellowships are targeted at supporting girl students.