'Will be difficult to finish syllabus, warn colleges': Bengal faces most-delayed UG admissions in 25 years; leaves students in limbo over OBC quota

Time of India

15 hours ago

KOLKATA: Bengal's most-delayed undergraduate admission season in at least 25 years has set alarm bells ringing in academic circles with colleges raising concerns over academic schedules going haywire and students worried about the effect on their careers.
A former Calcutta University vice-chancellor said he could not recall such a situation since 2000 or even before that.
At the heart of the matter is the legal imbroglio over OBC quota. It has stalled UG college admission through the centralised portal. The Bengal HS exam results were announced on May 7, CBSE on May 13 and ISC on April 30. The result for the WBJEE for admission to engineering colleges is yet to be published; the exam was held on April 27.
Counselling for MBBS and BDS was suddenly suspended on Monday, just two days before the first seat-allocation list was to be published; classes for UG medical courses begin nationally on Sept 5.
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Bengal govt's notification mandating 17% OBC quota was stayed by Calcutta High Court. While the Supreme Court lifted the stay, an HC single-bench in a JEE matter subsequently said the old OBC quota formula of 7% would be applicable for admissions.
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The state has again moved SC, which is yet to hear the case.
This has resulted in an unprecedented logjam with thousands of students at the receiving end. College heads are worried if first semester exams can be held in end-Dec or early-Jan if the new academic session begins after the Puja vacation. According to UGC and AICTE, a minimum of six weeks of classes are required before semester exams can be held.
"Since the academic calendar cannot be changed, students will suffer as the delay will be difficult to make-up," said Sanatan Chattopadhyay, president of Calcutta University Teachers' Association and a professor in the department of electronics.
He feels the state should begin admissions with 7% OBC quota and hold additional classes for extra students if the HC allows 17% OBC quota. "I am against the logic of stalling the entire process," he said.
There will be an unequal competition, fear principals
Jadavpur University has, in fact, conducted UG admissions in science and arts with 7% OBC quota and already started classes but the engineering faculty's admission is pending because WBJEE results are yet to be published.
Arindam Sil, an associate professor at Jadavpur University and a concerned parent, said, "We were eagerly waiting for the WBJEE results because my son was expecting a very good score, but now it's too late." Frustrated with the wait, his son, like many other meritorious students from Bengal, has taken admission in a college outside the state.
The number of applications received for UG seats - 3.6 lakh applications submitted for 9.5 lakh UG seats - is proof of the delay forcing students out of the state.
The final number of admissions could be lower, fear colleges. The financial implications for them are significant as admission fees constitute a major portion of their earnings. "Our college fund mostly depends on admission fees collected. A major portion of expenditure is from this," said a principal.
Colleges dependent on the centralised portal are also apprehensive that the 75% attendance rule for appearing in first-semester exams may be hit. Siuli Sarkar, principal of Lady Brabourne College, said, "Autonomous and minority colleges under CU are conducting regular classes for the past month. But those who take admission in govt and govt-aided colleges like ours will suffer because the exam schedule will remain same for all first-year students.
There will be an unequal competition."
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