Simply good is not good enough for admission to Delhi University colleges. One has to be brilliant to secure a seat.

A large number of Bihar students qualified for admission to the most sought-after varsity despite high cut-off marks, proving their brilliance. The university notified the first cut-off list for new four-year undergraduate programme on Wednesday night. (See graphic)

The prestigious Hindu College has set the bar of 93 per cent for admissions to history. Yet, Neelkamal from Begusarai was among the first to take admission in the college.

“I am so happy, I made it. Though the new academic programme is a little vague and confusing, studying in a good college in DU has always been my dream,” he said.

“I want to start preparing for civil services as soon as classes start,” added a smiling Neelkamal.

Shambhavi Sinha from Patna, who took admission in English course in Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College, could not thank her stars enough.

She said: “This year, admission to English course is being given without an entrance test. I have 98 per cent aggregate and ran to LSR for admission without a second thought.”

Some like Mugdha Priya from Darbhanga can consider themselves lucky.

She just about made it to Hansraj College with her percentage matching the cut-off marks for the commerce course.

According to senior authorities in the university, the cut-offs announced this year are broadly the same as last year — the difference being in decimals.

“Yet, the admission criteria touched nearly 100 per cent in few colleges. This year, a lesser-known college, Ram Lal Anand, has announced a cut-off of 100 per cent for its computer science course,” said J.M. Khurana, dean, students’ welfare, DU.

He said: “The cut-offs in prestigious colleges like Hindu and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) are also a reflection of the tight race to get into colleges in the varsity.”

He added: “I’d suggest that students should choose course over college as it is the course that determines the future. Also, my message to the students is that they should not give up hope as there are other options beside DU.”

For many other students, the struggle has just begun. Their only hope now lies in lower cut-offs in the second and third admission lists of many of these colleges.

Ritambhara Sharma from Patna said: “I wanted to pursue economics in any of the top colleges but with 92 per cent I stand little chance. With most colleges asking for above 96 per cent for the subject in the first list, cut-off will come down only marginally in the subsequent lists,” she said.