New Delhi, June 2025 — In a landmark decision aimed at fostering gender equity and empowering women through higher education, Delhi University (DU) has officially extended its ‘single girl child’ reservation to postgraduate (PG) courses starting from the upcoming academic session. This move marks a significant step in the university’s ongoing efforts to support female students and promote inclusive academic policies.
Background and Policy Expansion
Until now, the single girl child quota was applicable only at the undergraduate level, primarily in select courses and under the umbrella of colleges offering internal scholarships or benefits. With the new policy, DU will now recognize single girl children as a reserved category for PG admissions, thereby opening new avenues for meritorious female students who are the only child of their parents.
This inclusion will apply across several disciplines under various faculties, and detailed criteria will be outlined in the university’s updated Postgraduate Admission Bulletin.
Objective: Promoting Educational Access and Gender Equality
The primary goal of this initiative is to encourage families to invest in the education of their daughters, particularly in cases where they have only one child — a girl. With rising educational costs and socio-cultural factors often limiting girls’ access to higher education, the quota aims to ease barriers and provide equal opportunity to women.
According to university officials, this reservation aligns with larger national educational policies, such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes gender inclusion and equity in education.
Eligibility and Documentation
To avail the benefits of this new quota, applicants must:
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Be the only girl child of their parents.
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Submit a self-declaration certificate and/or official documentation (such as an affidavit or certificate from a competent authority) confirming their single girl child status.
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Fulfill all other merit and eligibility criteria required for the chosen PG course.
The number of seats reserved under this category is expected to be limited and competitive, and admissions will be granted on a merit-cum-reservation basis.
Reactions and Expert Opinions
The academic community and student organizations have largely welcomed the move, viewing it as a progressive and much-needed policy. “This is a step forward in recognizing the challenges many girls face in pursuing higher education,” said a senior DU faculty member. “The inclusion of the single girl child category will motivate more families to support their daughters in going beyond undergraduate studies.”
Student leaders have also called for similar reforms to be implemented in other central and state universities, so as to build a nationwide framework of gender-sensitive policies.
Conclusion
With this decision, Delhi University reinforces its role as a leading public institution committed to inclusivity and gender parity. As thousands of students prepare for postgraduate admissions this year, the policy is expected to directly benefit a segment of bright and deserving female candidates and set a precedent for similar initiatives across the country.
