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‘If it wasn't for this quota…': How a unique DU provision has opened the doors to a ‘dream college' for several women
For as long as she can remember, Darshani Sengar, a 19-year-old from Pune, had been clear about where she wanted to go for college: Miranda House in Delhi University.
But as CUET results were announced in 2024, she was disappointed to learn she had not made the cut-off. What made it worse was that she had lost the chance by a single mark; she scored 782 instead of 783, which she needed for her subjects under the general category.
But then, she stumbled upon a DU video on YouTube about the Single Girl-Child (SGC) quota that was introduced in 2023. And a few weeks later, Darshani entered the portals of Miranda House, finally living her long-cherished dream.
'If it wasn't for this quota, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to get into my first preference. I still remember my first day at Miranda House, I socialised with many people in the induction programme and also painted a mural, which is now hung on the college walls,' she says.
Darshani is not the only one.
From a South Delhi girl who could not complete her CUET paper due to an exam glitch to a teenager from West Bengal whose parents were reluctant to send her to the Capital, several female students securing admission under the SGC quota say the provision was a lifesaver.
A first-year Political Science (Hons) student at Miranda House, Darshani says, 'I got my first preference because of this quota. Otherwise, Miranda House would've been out of reach.'
Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior official explains the rationale behind the quota: 'Our country believes in Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. If we educate a girl, we educate an entire family. The aim is to provide an opportunity to single girl children from all backgrounds.'
To apply for the quota, all applicants are required to submit an affidavit proving they are a single-girl child, says Darshani, whose father serves in the Maharashtra Police, while her mother is a homemaker.
The supernumerary quota reserves seats across courses for single-girl children based on merit. According to data from DU's admissions office, 849 students were admitted under this quota in the 2024-25 academic session. This marks a tangible increase from 764 students admitted under the quota in the previous session. It is learnt that the quota will also be introduced for postgraduate admissions this year.
For Anvi Mansharamani, 18, a student from South Delhi, the SGC quota turned what she thought was an impossible dream into reality: admission to Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC).
'I always dreamt of studying at SRCC, but during my CUET exam, there were technical glitches — the test started 15 minutes late, and I couldn't finish the paper. I thought SRCC was out of the question,' she says.
But with the SGC quota, Mansharamani secured a seat in her first choice, where she is now pursuing B.A. (Hons) Economics.
All she wants now is to 'prove herself'. Says the Delhi Public School, Vasant Kunj, alumnus, 'Although I was excited, entering SRCC was intimidating — all the toppers from various schools are here. I felt extra pressure entering through a quota, so I worked twice as hard to manage both academics and extracurricular activities.'
Shreya Biswas, 19, from West Bengal's Durgapur, had long dreamed of pursuing engineering at an IIT or NIT. But after narrowly missing the JEE Advanced cutoff, she thought her academic year would be wasted. That changed when the SGC quota enabled her admission to Hindu College for BSc (Hons) Physics.
'My father is an engineer and my mother a retired professor. They always wanted me to pursue engineering, but I was clear about my love for physics. Luckily, this quota helped me get into Hindu College. It was the prestige of the college that helped me convince my parents to come to Delhi,' she says.
Like Shreya, Darshani also had some convincing to do with her parents. 'They were initially very scared to send me to Delhi because of its reputation regarding women's safety. But, we are slowly adjusting,' she says.
For Lakshita Pasricha, 19, from Northwest Delhi, the quota helped reclaim her academic future after a 'difficult year'. 'Coming to North Campus was a dream. I got into Ramjas College, but because of this quota, I managed to get Hindu College,' says Lakshita, who wanted to pursue MBBS after clearing NEET.
'The NEET 'scam' and rank inflation last year slimmed down my chances. I was very depressed after that, but this quota came to my rescue,' she says.
Now pursuing a BSc (Hons) in Botany, Lakshita has been participating in research projects in Chemistry and Botany in her college, and hopes to pursue a career in research.
For Shreya, the quota offers crucial support for girls seeking to follow their academic passion. 'This is very helpful for girls who want to fight for their choice of education.'
Darshani echoes similar sentiments. 'Delhi is a city of opportunity, and coming to Miranda House is a dream come true. I'm fortunate that my parents believe in educating me — but many girls don't have this privilege. In families where boys are prioritised, this quota will be a game changer.'
Darshani, though, feels that more needs to be done for female students. 'One issue is that there is no hostel accommodation reserved for SGC quota students — allotment is on a first-come, first-served basis. I think fee concessions should also be considered for this category as many female students who cannot afford to study in DU might miss out on the opportunity due to money constraints,' she tells The Indian Express.
