DU Executive Council approves Semester Away Programme, direct PhD entry amid dissent

4 min readNew DelhiJul 31, 2026 11:30 AM IST DU aims to enter the top 200 universities globally within the next five years. (Express photo/ representational)The Delhi University Executive Council on Thursday approved a Semester Away Programme (SAP) for undergraduate students in collaboration with foreign higher education institutions and allowed direct admission to PhD programmes for students completing four-year undergraduate degrees, despite objections from elected council members. The decisions were taken at a meeting chaired by DU Vice Chancellor Prof Yogesh Singh.The Executive Council approved amendments to the PhD ordinance allowing students who complete a four-year UG programme to directly pursue doctoral studies. Under the amended provisions, candidates with a minimum 7.5 CGPA and