Likhith · February 26, 2026 
Introduction
The CUET 2025 Admission cycle brought several fascinating shifts in student preferences across India’s leading central universities — most notably University of Delhi (DU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). What students chose in 2025 reflects both evolving career aspirations and broader academic trends shaping undergraduate education.
From traditional favourites like commerce and humanities to surprising spikes in science and language programmes, CUET 2025 revealed new priorities among India’s UG aspirants.
Why Course Popularity Matters
Popular courses signal where student interest aligns with career opportunities, campus reputation, and long-term trajectories. Higher preferences also influence competitive CUET cutoffs — the marks required for admission — making this analysis especially relevant for future aspirants.
Let’s dive into the most sought-after courses based on first-preference entries and overall trends in admissions through CUET UG 2025.
B.Com (Hons) — DU’s Most Desired Course
For the 2025–26 session, B.Com (Hons) continued its long-standing supremacy at DU, drawing the highest number of first-preference applications among all undergraduate programmes.
According to admission data:
- B.Com (Hons) topped preference lists with more than 19 lakh total preferences.
- It also led first-preference selections, surpassing other programmes by a wide margin.
This trend underscores commerce’s sustained appeal among students eyeing careers in accounting, finance, business management, and related fields.
BA (Hons) Political Science — A Humanities Favourite
Following closely behind, BA (Hons) Political Science remained one of the most applied-for courses in DU’s CUET 2025 admissions:
- Around 9 lakh preferences were recorded for this course overall.
Political Science attracts aspirants with interests in governance, policy studies, civil services preparation, and social sciences.
B.Sc (Hons) Zoology – Unexpected Science Surge
One of the most remarkable developments in 2025 was the high demand for B.Sc (Hons) Zoology at DU.
For the first time, Zoology made it into the top three most popular courses, overtaking traditional favourites like BA (Hons) English.
This shift reflects a broader interest in life sciences careers — including research, environmental sciences, biotechnology, and wildlife conservation.
BA (Hons) English — Everlasting Classic
Despite shifting patterns in 2025, BA (Hons) English continued to be a strong favourite among humanities aspirants at DU and other central universities.
It consistently appeared in the preferred list for students on the CUET UG portal and remains one of the staple academic choices for those inclined to literature, writing, communication, and media.
Other High-Demand Programmes at DU
The broader trend of student preferences at DU also included:
- BA (Hons) History — among the top five most popular programmes.
- B.Sc (Hons) Computer Science / Mathematics — reflecting interest in STEM fields.
- Students also displayed balanced choices across arts, commerce, and sciences, with humanities-based programmes forming nearly 59% of preferences.
BHU: Wide Range of UG Interests
While official preference counts from Banaras Hindu University are not centrally published, student behaviour on forums and counselling threads confirms that BHU continues to attract applicants across:
- BA (Hons) programmes like Political Science and Psychology
- B.Sc (Hons) in Statistics, Physics, and Chemistry
- B.Com (Hons) in commerce streams
- Integrated and interdisciplinary science offerings
Candidates discussing BHU admissions note interest in B.Sc Statistics and other science programmes as competitive, making them sought-after options among UG aspirants.
JNU’s Unique Academic Appeal
Unlike DU’s broad-based UG trends, Jawaharlal Nehru University is known for its niche strengths in language, social science, and research-oriented programmes.
CUET trend data suggests the following patterns at JNU:
- Foreign languages and language honours courses are experiencing strong competition — a distinctive marker of JNU’s academic identity.
- BA (Hons) Economics, History, and other social sciences also remain competitive, driven by the university’s analytical focus and interdisciplinary approach.
Though cutoffs vary subject-wise and shift each year, the continued demand for language and social science programmes highlights JNU’s unique admissions landscape.
Emerging Trends: What 2025 Reveals
1. Science and Life Sciences Gain Ground
The rise of B.Sc (Hons) Zoology as a top preference at DU reflects growing recognition of science fields that align with contemporary career paths.
Environmental sciences, life sciences, and research-focused disciplines are increasingly valued.
2. Balanced Stream Preferences
Although commerce remains dominant, humanities and science courses are gaining broader acceptance — perhaps owing to multidisciplinary career options, digital media growth, and research opportunities.
3. Local vs. National Attraction
DU’s programmes attract students not just from Delhi but across northern India, while BHU and JNU enrol students from a wider national footprint — especially in humanities, foreign languages, and integrated science streams.
What This Means for CUET Aspirants
Understanding which courses are most in demand helps you prepare realistic expectations about:
- Cutoff competitiveness — popular courses often have higher CUET cutoffs.
- Admissions strategy — aligning preferences with strengths improves chances.
- Career alignment — choosing a popular stream can lead to a broader peer network and better opportunities.
For example, high first-preference numbers for B.Com (Hons) mean you may need a strong CUET performance to secure admission at top DU colleges. Conversely, emerging science programmes may offer niche pathways with growing interest and slightly varied competition levels.
How Career Plan B Helps
Career Plan B helps students use mock tests strategically, not randomly:
- Personalized Career Counselling: Guides students on subject focus and realistic engineering pathways.
- Psycheintel & Career Assessment Tests: Identifies pressure handling, accuracy trends, and learning behavior.
- Admission & Academic Profile Guidance: Ensures backup planning alongside JEE without stress.
- Career Roadmapping: Aligns JEE preparation with long-term academic and career goals.
Have any doubts?
Contact our expert counsellor today and get all your questions answered!
FAQs
- Which course sees the highest competition at DU?
B.Com (Hons) and BA (Hons) Economics record the highest demand. - Can one CUET score be used for all three universities?
Yes, a single CUET score is valid for DU, BHU, and JNU admissions.
- What CUET percentile is considered safe for dream courses?
Generally, 90–95+ percentile is competitive for top programs.
- Which stream dominates dream course preferences?
Commerce, Humanities, and Science students dominate based on course type.
- Are placements strong in these universities?
Yes, especially in commerce, languages, sciences, and professional courses.
Conclusion
The 2025 admission season through CUET marked significant evolution in student choices at DU, BHU, and JNU. From the perennial popularity of commerce and humanities to the rising engagement with life sciences and languages, these trends offer vital insights for future aspirants.
As competitive landscapes evolve, understanding what students choose — not just what they score — will be key to planning strategic preferences and building careers aligned with both passion and opportunity.
If you’re preparing for the next cycle, learning from these trends will help you make informed choices and navigate admissions confidently.
