New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Braving one of the hottest days in the season, students Tuesday thronged the Delhi University campus as the first cut-off list came out. Emotions overflowed as students checked the list at one college after the other for the cut-offs.

The list revealed a mixed bag. While popular colleges on the campus upped their entry criteria to percentages in the high 90s, many off-campus colleges tried to maintain or lower the marks required for admission as compared to last year.

B.Com Honours, Economics Honours and English Honours courses remained the most sought- after streams with highest cut-off percentages. Science courses have lower cut-offs as compared to these popular courses.

The first list left some smiling while others looked forward to the second list with fervent hope.

The much sought after B.Com Honours at Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) saw no increase from last year as the cut-off remained 95.25-98.75 — same as last year.

‘Cut-offs were expected to be higher. I am happy to get admission in the college I wanted,’ said Manit Bhandari, who got admission in the B.Com Honours course at SRCC.

Urvashi Jain, who scored 80 percent in her Class 12 boards and applied for English Honours at Ramjas College, said: ‘I haven’t got through the first list. I was not even expecting. But I hope I get through the second list.’

There was joy, sorrow and hope but no despair for now as students still look ahead to the second and third list.

‘Usually percentages drop significantly in the third list. Many colleges even have fourth and fifth lists. So there is lots of hope,’ said Shweta Gupta who has applied for English Honours.

A change was seen in the cut-off marks for evening colleges as most were equal to the day colleges.

‘Earlier, evening colleges had lower cut-offs. But this time the cut-offs are almost equal,’ said Ragini Sharma, who secured 62 percent in Class 12.

Admissions for the first list will start Wednesday and continue till Friday.

‘Students must bring their Class 10 and 12 mark sheets, provisional for Class 12 if they don’t have the original, passport-size photos and self-attested copies of the documents for admission,’ said Gurpreet Singh Tuteja, deputy dean, students welfare.

The second list will be out June 26 while the third list will be released July 1.