Delhi University UG Form Lists ‘Bihari’ as a Language, Sparks Outrage Over Caste, Communal, and Regional Biases

Democratic Teachers’ Front demands public apology and enquiry into DU’s admission form that also labels 'Muslim' as a language, omits Urdu and Bangla, and uses casteist slurs

Delhi University is facing serious backlash over alleged “unconstitutional and divisive” entries in its undergraduate admission form for the 2025–26 academic year. The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), a prominent teachers’ group within the university, has written to Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh demanding a public apology and an immediate enquiry into what it describes as a “criminal lapse” that reflects casteist, communal, and regionally biased tendencies.

At the centre of the controversy is the inclusion of “Bihari” as a language in the 'mother tongue' section of the application form — a move that has been widely condemned by faculty members. “This misrepresentation is both linguistically inaccurate and regionally discriminatory,” the DTF wrote, noting that Bihari is not a language but a demonym referring to people from Bihar. The omission of actual languages spoken in the state — such as Bhojpuri, Maithili, Magahi, Angika, Bajjika, and others — is being seen as not just ignorant but a deliberate slight against a regional population.

The letter further exposes several other contentious entries in the online application form. One of the most shocking issues raised is the listing of “Muslim” as a language in the same dropdown menu where constitutionally recognised languages were expected. “Urdu, which is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, was missing from the list. Replacing it with 'Muslim' not only communalises language but also falsely equates a religion with a linguistic identity,” the DTF said.

In another glaring omission, “Bangla” was not listed in the mother tongue section. DTF termed it a direct insult to a language that has produced India’s only Nobel laureate in literature — Rabindranath Tagore — and is also constitutionally recognised.

The DTF also condemned the presence of casteist terms like “mochi” and “chamari” under the same section, calling it an affront to the dignity of socially disadvantaged communities. “This inclusion under ‘mother tongue’ is completely unacceptable and unconstitutional. It reflects a deep-seated prejudice within the DU administration,” the group stated.

Adding to the list of violations, the teachers’ body has also objected to DU’s demand for sub-caste details from candidates applying under reserved categories. “There is no constitutional or legal mandate for such data collection, nor has any such policy been approved by statutory bodies like the Academic or Executive Council,” the letter said. The DTF has alleged that such practices amount to administrative overreach and serve to further marginalise SC, ST, and OBC applicants.

The letter, signed by DUTA Executive Members Abha Dev Habib and Rudrashish Chakraborty, DU Executive Council member Mithuraaj Dhusiya, and several members of the Academic Council, strongly refutes the university’s claim that these errors were “clerical” in nature. “These are not mistakes. They are conscious administrative decisions carried out without any consultation in statutory bodies. The Academic Council met on May 10 and the Executive Council on May 23 — yet none of these issues were raised or discussed,” the letter notes.

Screenshots attached to the letter show the problematic entries as they appeared on the application portal as recently as June 19, 2025.

DTF has called for a time-bound investigation into the incident, holding accountable those responsible for the formulation and clearance of the admission form. “Pending the enquiry, the university must issue a public apology for this criminal fiasco, which has brought unthinkable disgrace to the institution,” the letter concludes.

This controversy emerges at a time when Delhi University is in the midst of a highly competitive UG admissions season, with over 4.6 lakh registrations already recorded through the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS) and many students relying on CUET UG 2025 scores. Stakeholders fear the episode could impact the credibility of one of India’s premier central universities unless swift corrective action is taken.

As of now, the university administration has not issued a fresh statement in response to the DTF’s letter.