New Delhi: There were smiles for some and frowns for others as Delhi University (DU) on Thursday released its first cut-off list here for admissions to under-graduates courses.

The cut-off percentage for commerce and humanities courses went up marginally this year whereas there is a dip in the minimum marks eligibility for science courses.

Arts & Commerce Courses First Cut-Off List 2008

Science Courses First Cut-Off List 2008

Aditi Chaturvedi, an admission seeker, scored a laudable 92.25 percent in her class 12 exams, but that still was not enough to take her to either of her dream colleges - Hansraj or Hindu in the northern campus.

"Though I will be reserving a seat either in Daulat Ram, Khalsa or Indraprastha College for B.A. Economics (Honours), I will surely be waiting for the second cut-off list," Chaturvedi told IANS.

"I am praying hard that I get through either to Hansraj or Hindu with the second cut-off list. But I doubt that these colleges will have a second cut-off list," she added, a tad bit sad.

Anjali Chhabra of Chandigarh, who got 93.8 percent overall, said the university's criterion for considering the marks of the best-of-four subjects for admission to the more than 70 colleges has cost her dearly.

Chhabra's marks in the best-of-four subjects come to 93.5 percent.

"DU's criteria of giving admission on the basis of the best percentage in four subjects is very disappointing. A student who scored 92 percent overall is getting admission to top colleges because their marks in the four subjects are high," Chhabra's father said.

"But Anjali, despite scoring more than 93 percent overall, has not managed to get into SRCC (Shri Ram College of Commerce), her dream college."

"It really hurts when you see that people who scored below you are getting admission in best colleges like SRCC," Chhabra, who stood fourth in her school and fourteenth in her city, said with tears in her eyes.

For some others like S. Shilpa of Chennai, things, however, have not been all that bad.

"I believe anyone who sets an aim in front of him and works hard for fulfilling it, could easily make it to his dream college," Shilpa, who scored a 95.8 percent and has made it to SRCC, said.

Priti Sinha of Darjeeling similarly said that she was quite happy with the cut off marks.

Having made it to the St. Stephen's college in two subjects- History and Philosophy- Sinha, who scored a 87.25 percent, simply couldn't stop beaming.

"Studying your much-loved subject in your desired college is awesome," Sinha said cheerfully. IANS