Admissions Process: An Overview

The Office of Admissions is dedicated to assembling a diverse and exceptional undergraduate cohort from a highly competitive applicant pool. With four application cycles each year, the Admissions team evaluates applicants’ fit to our programmes in light of their unique contexts. We aim to select candidates who show potential for all-rounded growth, consistent with the University’s holistic liberal arts and sciences pedagogy.

Our application form is the first differentiating feature of the admissions process. We go beyond the candidates’ academic achievements to consider their geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as their extracurricular activities. Our comprehensive application form also includes book and essay sections where applicants can express their passions, discuss social issues they care about, and share personal challenges that inform their identities. These allow us to form a holistic understanding of each candidate from the very beginning of our admissions process.

Post submission of the application form, our team verifies all aspects of the application form and administers the mandatory online assessments: the 90-minute Ashoka Aptitude Assessment (AAA) and the 30-minute On-the-Spot Essay (OSE). This verification process is crucial in identifying candidates who may require additional support during the assessment, based on learning or physical disabilities. To ensure a level playing field for such applicants, we reach out to them and their families to accurately understand the nature and extent of the support required. On assessment day, we prioritise making the experience smooth for all applicants by resolving queries and providing assistance where necessary.

While we consider academic scores, other facets such as extracurricular activities, essays, and reading lists are equally important. Additionally, we consider the unique contexts of the applicants, which often include first-generation college aspirants. This comprehensive evaluation helps us determine the selection of applicants for the interview stage. Once applicants are shortlisted, interviews are conducted by a panel of interviewers. The purpose of the Ashoka interview is to understand the applicant in their unique context. The applicant is evaluated based on various parameters of the application form to gauge the applicant’s suitability for Ashoka University’s academic and residential life. Simultaneous to the interviews, the Admissions team evaluates the On-the-Spot Essays, written in 30 minutes on the assessment day based on randomised prompts. This essay allows us to assess the critical thinking, writing skills, clarity of thought, and creativity of each applicant.

After considering all aspects of the candidate’s application—academic credentials, contexts, student assessments, and interview performance— an offer of admission is made. Once offers are extended, we work with the faculty, offices, and leadership members to focus on student engagements – we meet with students and their families in person and online, and offer structured guidance to ease their transition into university life. These engagements provide incoming students with a thorough understanding of Ashoka University’s course curriculum, career opportunities, and all other resources available on campus.

This comprehensive admissions process is repeated across all four application rounds, allowing us to engage with the incoming students and facilitate discussions and sessions with students from various rounds. Our empathetic, personalised, and context-based approach ensures that each student is inducted into university life with care. Through our diverse efforts, we prioritise a smooth and exciting transition for all students.