FYUP’s first graduates hit a wall at the master’s stage: Report

Students graduating from India’s first four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP) batch are facing a shortage of one-year master's seats, with limited postgraduate capacity potentially forcing many to spend an additional academic year to complete their degrees.

According to a Times of India report, around 30,000 students graduated from Delhi University (DU) this year under the four-year programme introduced as part of the National Education Policy. However, DU currently has only 2,565 seats across 46 one-year master's programmes, including 988 seats in the general category.

The four-year undergraduate programme was designed to provide students with the option of pursuing a one-year master's degree, while also creating a potential pathway to PhD-level research. But the limited availability of one-year postgraduate programmes has left many students uncertain about their next step.


The problem is particularly acute for students outside DU, as the university's one-year master's programmes are reserved for its own graduates. Jawaharlal Nehru University has introduced one-year master's courses in four disciplines with a combined 71 seats, while Ambedkar University has around 30 seats each across seven programmes.

Students who fail to secure these limited seats could either forgo a master's degree or enrol in the conventional two-year programme, effectively adding another year to their academic journey.

TOI reported that several students from the first batch had expected the fourth year to provide a stronger research foundation and improve their prospects for higher studies. Instead, some have raised concerns over the lack of clarity around the programme and limited opportunities available after graduation.

The challenge is expected to grow as more universities produce their first FYUP batches. Around 105 universities, including 19 central universities, have adopted the four-year structure since the 2023 academic session.

Jamia Millia Islamia, for instance, will have its first FYUP batch of around 1,500 students graduate next year. The university plans to introduce a one-year master's programme in the next academic session, although the number of seats has not yet been disclosed.

DU professor Abha Dev Habib said universities should have announced one-year master's seat availability earlier so students could make informed decisions about continuing into the fourth year.

DU registrar Vikas Gupta, however, defended the intake, saying the university's one-year master's seats were planned in proportion to its overall postgraduate capacity. He said nearly 2,000 additional seats had been added through the School of Open Learning for students who miss out on regular seats.

An Ambedkar University official also said the institution had received strong interest in its one-year master's programmes, with applications currently exceeding available capacity.

The first FYUP batch is therefore entering the postgraduate admissions cycle before the one-year master's ecosystem has expanded sufficiently to absorb the large number of graduates, leaving students to navigate a transition that remains in its early stages.

(With inputs from TOI)