Delhi University college admission cutoffs are turning ludicrous

The vertiginous increase in marks obtained by students in the Class 12 examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is obviously what has fuelled a consistent rise in college admission cutoffs across India over the years. But several colleges of Delhi University (DU) have clearly surpassed their own expectations by demanding over 100% marks — 100.75% to be precise — for some categories of students applying for particular subjects this year.

Evidently, these venerable institutions actually think it is now possible to score more marks than the total allowed —especially if the goal is to gain admission to a coveted DU college. Are colleges in the rest of India setting their sights ridiculously low by not asking for such superhuman scholastic feats from their prospective students?

If by some miracle of brilliance or sophistry, students do eventually accomplish what is thought to be impossible — thanks to the famously humanitarian and helpful nature of people in pertinent posts — DU colleges will have to think of something else to keep application numbers within workable limits. Maybe they should consider seeking permission from the relevant authorities to add non-academic selection criteria such as ballroom dancing or Sudoku solving in order to winnow the best from the superlative.