As the university admission season peaks across the country, central universities (CU) are revealing distinct academic trends. Courses such as BCom (Hons), BA (Hons) in Political Science, BA (Hons) in Psychology, and the consistently popular BA (Hons) in English have emerged as top choices among students participating in undergraduate admissions via CUET 2025.As on 23, the University of Delhi (DU) has reported BCom (Hons) as one of its most sought-after courses, with approximately 48,336 first-preference applications. It is followed closely by BSc (Hons) Zoology, BA (Hons) English, and BA (Hons) Political Science. Notably, BSc (Hons) Zoology has broken into the top five this year — a significant development, considering it was absent from the top list in 2024, which was dominated by BCom (Hons), BA (Hons) English, and BA (Hons) Political Science. DU has released the CUET 2025 Round 2 cut-off on July 28, 2025.Speaking to Education Times, Brajesh Kumar Tiwari, associate professor, Atal School of Management, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, says, “Commerce, particularly BCom (Hons) and BBA, BMS, remains the most popular and dynamic field within the CUET framework. Following closely are BA (Hons) programmes in English, History, and Political Science. Among the sciences, BSc (Hons) courses in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, as well as technical streams such as BCA, BTech in Computer Science Engineering (CSE), Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), and Mechanical Engineering (ME), are also in high demand. For top-tier colleges under DU, BSc (Hons) admissions typically require a percentile between 98 and 99.”He adds, “BCom (Hons) continues to be the most preferred course in both 2024 and 2025, with around 19.9 lakh first-preference applications this year. BCom follows it with 15.3 lakh applications and then BA (Hons). While DU does not publish domicile-specific data, CUET trends indicate significant interstate migration. Programmes such as BCom, BA (Hons) Economics, and BA (Hons) English attract students not only from Delhi but also from nearby states such as Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.“At the University of Hyderabad, student interest drifted towards integrated and interdisciplinary programmes. The first-round application window will close on July 30. Tanmay Ranjan, deputy registrar, University of Hyderabad (UoH), says, “Economics has remained the top preference among students for several years, and we do not anticipate a major shift in 2025. However, since a significant number of applications are submitted in the final days, the complete picture will become clear only after the deadline.” In 2024, the most sought-after programme through CUET UG was the undergraduate integrated MA in Economics programme, which received around 761 applications. “This was followed by the integrated MSc in Psychology with 639 applications. The newly introduced four-year BSc in Chemistry attracted 470 applications for just 20 seats, reflecting strong interest in science disciplines aligned with the NEP 2020 reforms,” he adds. The UoH also enjoys a strong national footprint of 471 undergraduate students admitted in 2024, 311 were from outside Telangana.At Nagaland University, applications for BA (Hons) Political Science and BA (Hons) English have steadily increased, confirming their status as the region’s most popular undergraduate courses. The Department of English received 274 applications for 65 seats this year, compared to 251 in 2024. Prof Nigamananda Das, head, Department of English, attributes the subject’s popularity to its deep cultural significance in the region. “English remains the most cherished subject among Naga scholars. Their fluency and literary articulation are rooted in the legacy of American Baptist missionaries. Even though the number of institutions offering MA English has expanded to eight, application volumes remain strong, reflecting both cultural reverence and academic interest,” says Prof Das.Meanwhile, in 2025, the Department of Political Science received about 240 applications for 55 seats, up from 220 in 2024. Prof Dasarathi Bhuiyan, head of the Department of Political Science, notes, “The growing popularity of Political Science is due to its interdisciplinary approach and its relevance to contemporary social and political issues. The subject nurtures analytical skills and prepares students for engaged citizenship.“At the Central University of Punjab, professional and integrated courses have also witnessed a steady rise in applications for 2025. Programmes such as BPharma, BA LLB, BTech, BA BEd, and BSc BEd received 417, 461, 543, 170, and 594 applications, respectively, marginally higher than the figures from CUET UG 2024. In 2024, BPharma received 288 applications for 60 seats, BA LLB saw 354 for 60 seats, BTech received 503 for 30 seats, BA BEd attracted 202 for 50 seats, and BSc BEd received 524 applications for 50 seats.
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