West Bengal govt begins UG admissions for state colleges: Here is what you need to know

Indian Express

4 hours ago

The undergraduate admissions process began on the West Bengal government's online portal on Wednesday morning, for over nine lakh seats across 7,229 courses in 460 state and state-aided colleges.
The first phase of the application process for the colleges, which are under 17 universities, will remain open until July 1. The merit list and initial seat allotment will be published on July 6, and candidates must confirm their admission by July 12. An upgrade round will follow, with revised allotments on July 17 and admissions closing on July 20. Physical verification of documents is scheduled from July 24 to 31. Classes for the 2025-26 academic session are set to begin on August 1.
No application fee is required this year, and students from across the country are eligible to apply.
Speaking at the portal's launch on Tuesday, state Education Minister Bratya Basu said, 'Last year, more than 4.4 lakh students were admitted through the portal. The system ensures a transparent, systematic, and user-friendly admission process. Students can choose their preferred courses and colleges on a single platform.'
This year, the portal introduces 'Bina'—an AI-powered chatbot named after the instrument of goddess Saraswati—to assist applicants with basic queries. Additional support is available via a helpline (1800-102-8014) and the email address [e-mail].
To confirm admission, students must pay the course fee online. In the upgrade round, if allotted a higher-preference course with a different fee structure, only the difference must be paid. In cases where the new course has a lower fee, the excess amount will be refunded automatically. Basu urged applicants to use their own mobile numbers and email IDs for communication and to enter bank details carefully to avoid refund issues.
Addressing the ongoing legal developments, he said the Calcutta High Court's interim order related to the OBC list would not affect the UG admission process. 'Should agricultural work stop because of predictions of drought or heavy rain? We will continue our work. If there is any instruction, we will take emergency measures,' he said.
A senior official from the Higher Education Department also confirmed that the court order would not disrupt the admission process. 'We will study the court's order in detail, but the undergraduate admission process will go on,' the official said.
Manas Kabi, principal of Asutosh College, told The Indian Express, 'The online centralised admission process began at 10 am today and is proceeding smoothly. Students are applying in large numbers.'
On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered an interim stay on the preparation of a new list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) by including new castes in West Bengal's existing list. The division bench of Justices Rajasekhar Mantha and Tapabrata Chakraborty issued the stay till the next hearing, scheduled for July 31. The court also stayed the state government's decision to open a portal for submission of caste certificates for inclusion in the proposed new OBC list.