At several of the open house sessions conducted by Delhi University one question that is most often raised is: How to calculate ‘best four’ subjects?
Students may have scored higher marks in a particular subject but sometimes including that subject in the “best four” could lead to a deduction by up to 2.5 percentage points.
This year, to ensure that students who are from the commerce stream do not have to compete with students from the science or humanities stream while seeking admission into B.Com (Hons.) and B.Com (Programme), the university has said that the student must must include in their ‘best four’ calculation one language and three core commerce subjects, which include economics, accountancy, business studies/commerce.
The applicant must have studied and passed mathematics/business mathematics at the qualifying examination for admission to B.Com (Hons.).
To make it simpler for applicants to understand, the university has listed subjects under List C1, which is divided into two parts, and List C2. (lists given in table)
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To calculate ‘best four’ an applicant will have to select one language from Part 1 of List C1 + three best subjects out of Part 2 of List C1. Or One language from Part 1 of List C1 + any combination of subjects out of Part 2 of List C1, List C2 or any other subject (not listed either in List C1 or List C2).
In such a case, the deduction of marks from aggregate percentage of ‘best four’ shall be as follows: for every subject included from List C2, a deduction of 1% in aggregate percentage of ‘best four’ and for every other subject (not listed either in List C1 or List C2), a deduction of 2.5% per subject in aggregate percentage of ‘best four’.
Arts and humanities
The procedure for calculating ‘best four’ subjects percentage for honours programmes for admission to arts/humanities programmes is different from that of commerce programmes.
The university’s admission guidelines say that merit shall be determined on the basis of one language and three best academic/elective subjects from List A (given in table).
Out of three academic/elective subject chosen, one must be the concerned subject in which the admission is sought, failing which a deduction of 2.5% will be imposed on the calculated ‘best four’ percentage.
For example, if a student is applying for B.A.(Hons.) in history and if the student has not studied history in Class XII then 2.5% will be deducted from the score.
Further, if an applicant does not include the subjects given in List A in ‘best four’, then a deduction of 2.5% of maximum marks will be levied for each subject for the purpose of calculating ‘best four’.
Specifically for honours in languages an advantage of 2% in the ‘best four’ percentage will be given to those applicants who have studied that particular elective language.
For admission into B.A. (Hons.) in economics, applicants must have studied and passed mathematics at the qualifying exam for admission.
