DU Finalises Supervision Guidelines for Dissertation, Projects & Entrepreneurship in 4th Year UG Programmes

This comes shortly after DU announced the introduction of the exit option after three years, which allows students to graduate with a regular UG degree without opting for the research-heavy fourth year.

The University of Delhi (DU) has officially finalised the guidelines for supervising students who opt for Dissertation, Academic Projects, or Entrepreneurship in the fourth year of undergraduate programmes. These changes will be implemented from the 2025-26 academic session as part of DU’s transition to the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022, in alignment with NEP 2020.

For the first time at the undergraduate level, DU students will have the choice to specialise in one of three academic tracks during their final year:

Dissertation (Research)

Applied Academic Project

Entrepreneurship Track

The draft guidelines for supervision were presented before the Academic Council and have now been approved. As per these, any faculty member—whether or not they hold a PhD—will be eligible to supervise students in any of the three tracks. However, preference should be given to matching the student’s subject area with the teacher’s expertise.

“The move opens up more options for students while ensuring they receive proper academic guidance,” said a DU official, adding that the university is committed to embedding research and innovation in the UG experience.

Colleges have been advised to formulate objective and transparent criteria for the allocation of supervisors. Additionally, every student pursuing research, projects or entrepreneurship will be assigned an Advisory Committee for Research (ACR), which will offer academic direction and ensure quality control throughout the year.

The initiative is seen as a strategic step to prepare students for higher education, industry roles, or entrepreneurial ventures, and to promote a flexible, multidisciplinary learning model at the undergraduate level.

This comes shortly after DU announced the introduction of the exit option after three years, which allows students to graduate with a regular UG degree without opting for the research-heavy fourth year.