LUCKNOW, April 4 -- Ahead of the 2026-27 admission process, Lucknow University has decided to increase over 3100 self-financed seats - 2500 in undergraduate and 662 in postgraduate courses, according to the university authorities. The BA (self-financed) seats will record the maximum increase with the addition of 1430 seats to the nearly 660 existing self-financed seats. A total of 287 seats will be added to the BSc mathematics and 155 to BSc biology course. The MSc computer science course will be able to accommodate 25 more students every year. The number of seats has been increased by 223 in B.Com (SF), 102 in B.Com (Honours) and 87 in M.Com. (SF) courses. Vice-chancellor JP Saini said BA LLB (integrated five-year course) already had approval from the Bar Council of India (BCI) for a total of 330 seats since 1997, but the course was functional with 176 students at a go. "The total seats in BA LLB (integrated 5 years) course will now be increased to 330. Besides, an NRI/NRI-Sponsored course will be run by the university with a capacity of 30 pupils. The tuition fee for NRI/NRI sponsored students will be $7000 per year, in which they can either seek admission themselves or get their spouse, children or any other potential student sponsored. Besides, we have also applied for approval of about 330 seats for the BBA LLB course (Integrated 5 Years) course, which will be launched soon after approval," Saini said. The university also disclosed its plans to begin four new courses in the computer science department - BCA (AI and Machine Learning), BCA (Data Science), BCA (Internet of Things) and B.Sc (Cyber Security) with 75 seats each. Besides, three MSc courses - AI, Cyber Security and Data Science - will begin with 50 seats each. B.Com courses in retail management and e-commerce and bachelor of hotel management and catering technology will also begin from the next academic session with 75 seats each. A new MA sociology section, a PG diploma in natural resources and governance under the sociology department and a diploma in Indian culture and heritage under Ancient Indian History and Archaeology, each with 75 seats, has also been announced. The much awaited M.Pharm course will also begin in pharmaceutics and pharmacology with 16 seats each. Besides, a Master in nutritional science will begin with 75 seats. Minor degree programmes (20 credits in six semesters) will be launched and will be taught through MOOCs. "We already have a huge number of teachers, of which many of them were under load. Besides, the university already houses infrastructure to allow more classes to run in the existing infrastructure. The new BCA courses will begin in classrooms lying vacant in the ONGC building while a new theatre complex is under construction near Atal Bhawan with funds under PM USHA scheme. It will have a capacity to allow as many as 3000 students to study in over 25 classrooms at a time," Saini said. Spokesperson Prof Mukul Srivastava said the increase in the number of seats will ensure that more students can get opportunities at the university. Chairperson (Admission) Prof Pankaj Mathur said LU received over 80,000 forms last year. "The number of students applying to university is increasing and many students are interested in seeking admission in undergraduate and postgraduate courses," Mathur said. htc...