Kamal Ghorui
With CBSE Class 12 results expected soon, students across the country are wondering whether their marks will be enough to secure admission in top colleges like DU, JNU and other leading universities.The admission system for India’s top universities, however, has shifted dramatically in recent years, and board marks alone no longer decide a student’s future in higher education. Instead, entrance exams like CUET have taken centre stage, while CBSE scores now work more like a qualifying filter and academic indicator rather than a final selection tool. This shift has created both clarity and confusion among students. On one hand, it has reduced the pressure of extremely high board cut-offs that once defined colleges like Delhi University. On the other hand, it has introduced a new layer of competition where performance in a single entrance exam can outweigh years of board preparation. As a result, students in 2026 must now balance both board performance and entrance readiness to stay competitive for top institutions.
Delhi University (DU)
For DU, admissions to popular courses like BCom (Hons), Economics, Political Science and English remain highly competitive. For 2026 DU undergraduate admissions, Class XII board exam scores are not directly needed for merit calculation, but you must pass your boards. Admissions are based 100% on CUET (UG) 2026 scores via the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS).However, Boards scores (and now Class X marks) will only be used to break ties if two candidates have identical CUET scores.The univeristy also says that for some specific courses, minimum eligibility percentage criteria in boards may still apply.
JNU
At Jawaharlal Nehru University, admissions for most undergraduate programmes are also based on CUET scores. Here, CBSE marks are mainly used for eligibility. However, students from strong academic backgrounds often perform better in entrance exams, making 75–90% in CBSE a commonly observed range among successful candidates, though not a strict requirement for admission. Candidates must select Section IA (English) and Section III (General Test) in the CUET exam to be eligible for JNU admission.For other leading institutions such as Jamia Millia Islamia, Banaras Hindu University, and private universities, the trend is similar.CBSE marks ensure eligibility and academic credibility, but CUET performance is the key deciding factor. So if students get mid-range board scores, they can still gain admission if they perform well in entrance tests.
