Delhi University’s newly launched undergraduate admission portal, the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS), has ignited widespread criticism after listing Muslim as a mother tongue as an error, while excluding constitutionally recognised languages like Urdu and Bangla.
The portal, which went live on Thursday, July 19, included misleading terms such as Bihari, Chamar, Mazdoor, Dehati, Mochi, and Kurmi under the mother tongue category, alongside Muslim, causing outrage over the use of inappropriate casteist terms.
Following intervention from several student bodies, particularly the All India Students' Association (AISA), the University of Delhi administration corrected the mistakes in the form.
As per a statement, "Following a sharp intervention by AISA DU today, Delhi University was compelled to correct its admission form and issue an apology on Twitter. This victory is a testament to the power of students our commitment to safeguard the constitutional and cultural integrity of India."
According to a report by Kashmirlife, the error drew sharp criticism from academics and student groups.
Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor at Miranda House and General Secretary of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, condemned the portal’s design as a blend of ignorance and communal insensitivity, noting, “Listing Muslim as a language while omitting Urdu entirely is beyond comprehension. This reflects a communal mindset and demands immediate correction with an apology.”
Delhi University's response
Delhi University officials termed the issue a “clerical error” and claimed to have corrected it later on Thursday; however, screenshots of the faulty form had already spread widely, fueling outrage on social media and student forums. The university’s failure to issue an official statement or apology has drawn further criticism.
In an official statement, AISA stated, "It is a reminder that public institutions are accountable and that attempts to communalise education, distort linguistic identities, or propagate caste-based labels will not go unchallenged!"
