Why are WBJEE 2024 results still delayed? Legal tussle over OBC quota puts thousands in limbo
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The delay, rooted in ongoing legal proceedings over the state's OBC reservation policy, has not only unsettled thousands of students but also thrown private engineering institutions into disarray.
WBJEEB chairperson Sonali Chakraborty Banerjee confirmed that the board was ready to publish the results on June 5. However, she told PTI, 'Pls see the Act. WBJEEB has no power regarding the OBC issue. We were prepared to publish the result on June 5.
But reservation issue became sub-judice by then.'
In a separate clarification, she reiterated to TNN that the board's hands were tied due to the legal imbroglio. As per the 2014 WBJEE gazette notification, the state government 'shall have the power to resolve any examination related issue and also have the power to issue directions to the Board which the Board shall comply [with].'
Another provision mandates the preparation of separate merit lists for SC, ST, and OBC candidates under the West Bengal State Higher Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2013.
The dispute over OBC categorisation has rendered this process legally untenable, stalling the finalisation of results.
Students caught in the crossfire
The uncertainty has hit students hard. For many, the prolonged silence from officials has compounded the anxiety of admissions and future planning.
Siliguri resident Emon Chakraborty, awaiting her WBJEE results, voiced concern about academic timelines being pushed back. 'Colleges will start their classes late, and consequently, everything else will get delayed.
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Earlier, a new session would begin in July, now it's Aug,' she told TNN.
Manojit Sen, a WBJEE candidate whose target is Jadavpur University, admitted the delay was eroding his confidence. 'My aim is to study at JU, but this delay is scaring me. I have started to look elsewhere,' he said.
In a written appeal submitted last week, a group of students told the Board: 'It has been three months since the exam for admission to undergraduate engineering courses in West Bengal was held on April 27.
Yet no official update or tentative date for the results has been shared by the WBJEE Board. Such prolonged uncertainty is causing us extreme mental stress and anxiety.'
Repeated attempts to seek clarity from the education department and the WBJEE Board have failed to yield any formal communication.
Engineering colleges fear fallout
The ripple effect of the delay is being felt across Bengal's engineering landscape, particularly among private institutions.
The Association of Professional Academic Institutions, West Bengal (APAI-WB), which represents private colleges, expressed apprehension about the cascading impact on admissions, attendance, and academic cycles.
'We hope the legal complications will be resolved soon, or students and institutes will suffer,' said APAI president Tarnjit Singh, as told to TNN. He was joined by Brainwave University's Monoj Mukherjee, who warned that 'such delays led to a drop in student turnout, with many seeking opportunities outside Bengal.'
The situation has also disrupted standard academic scheduling. 'The delay in the declaration of WBJEE results, primarily attributed to the legal entanglements surrounding OBC reservations, has caused considerable anxiety among students as well as engineering colleges in Bengal,' an APAI-WB representative told TNN.
Government maintains caution
While Education Minister Bratya Basu had earlier acknowledged the state was 'ready to publish the results,' he cited the need for legal clarity before proceeding.
Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, speaking at a pre-counselling and education fair organised by APAI-WB, chose to highlight available support mechanisms like student credit cards. Attempting to reassure worried candidates, APAI-WB general secretary Satyam Roy Chowdhury added, 'World-class education and global opportunities are available in Bengal.'
No clarity, no calendar
As July ends with no results or revised schedule in sight, Bengal's engineering admission calendar stands paralyzed. With the OBC case still pending in court, the West Bengal government remains tight-lipped, and the WBJEEB continues to wait for instructions it is legally obligated to follow.
For now, both students and institutions are left staring at a blank calendar, with no answers, no results, and no relief in sight.
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