SRINAGAR: A newly launched undergraduate admission portal by Delhi University has triggered widespread anger and criticism after its “mother tongue” section listed “Muslim” as a language, while omitting constitutionally recognised languages like Urdu and Bangla. The incident, first reported by The Times of India and Maktoob, has led to demands for an apology and accountability from university authorities.
Students and parents expressed shock after discovering glaring factual errors in the language options on DU’s Common Seat Allocation System portal, which went live on Thursday. Alongside “Muslim”, the form also included caste or occupation-linked terms such as “Bihari”, “Chamar”, “Mazdoor”, “Dehati”, “Mochi” and “Kurmi” under the mother tongue category, leaving many baffled.
An 18-year-old applicant from Kolkata, raised in Delhi, told The Times of India that she was unable to proceed with her form as Bangla was not listed. “I tried multiple times until Friday morning, but the option still wasn’t available. I hope the issue is rectified soon,” she said.
Though Delhi University officials described the incident as a “clerical error” and claimed to have fixed it later in the day, screenshots of the erroneous form had already gone viral, sparking outrage across student groups, chat forums, and social media platforms.
Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor at Miranda House and General Secretary of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, denounced the move as a dangerous mix of ignorance and communal insensitivity. “Under mother tongue, the form omits Urdu entirely while listing Muslim as a language. Is it beyond the university’s understanding that Muslims speak the same languages as others from their regions?” she asked. Speaking to Maktoob, Habib added, “DU registration form for the UG admissions can’t be more Islamophobic. This reflects a profound dumbing down motivated by a communal mindset. It must be condemned, accountability fixed, and a correction with an apology ought to be made immediately.”
Urdu, widely spoken by large sections of India’s population and officially recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, was conspicuously absent from the form, further fuelling criticism.
Dr Mithuraaj Dhusiya, an elected member of DU’s Executive Council, called the error “extremely sad and unfortunate,” urging the administration to recognise the country’s linguistic diversity. “The rich diversity and multilingualism of our country need to be acknowledged and respected,” he said.
Rudrashish Chakraborty, Associate Professor at Kirori Mal College and a Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) member, described the inclusion of “Muslim” as a language as a “brazen attempt to create an ‘other’ out of the largest minority community in the country.” Speaking to both TOI and Maktoob, he said the act posed a serious threat to the Constitution and violated the spirit of inclusivity that should define a central university.
Even the terminology of the form was criticised. “The term ‘mother tongue’ is imprecise; native language would be more suitable in administrative contexts,” Chakraborty noted.
Although the university took down the portal briefly and rectified the form, it has not yet issued an official statement or apology, a silence that continues to draw sharp rebuke from academic circles and civil society.
As the admission cycle progresses, many are calling for greater scrutiny and accountability in one of India’s leading institutions, warning that such missteps are not only hurtful but potentially corrosive to the secular ethos of public education.
