Latest news with #OBC-reservation
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
11,570 last year to 8,980 this time: Queue for JU arts, science shortens
Kolkata: Jadavpur University has received a significantly lower number of UG applications for its arts and science subjects compared to that last year. The JU English department, which has been topping the list of arts subjects for the highest number of applications in recent times, received 1,756 forms this year, 700 fewer than 2,456 last year. Among science subjects, physics and chemistry usually invite more applications than others though last year, mathematics had topped the list with 1,835 applications, possibly because there was no entrance test. But this year, the number of forms for the maths department has come to 954 so far. While arts department's applications ended at Friday midnight (June 3), that for science will end at Saturday midnight (June 4). JU opened its admission portal for UG arts and science courses on June 20 with a 7% reservation for OBC, following the Calcutta High Court's order of May 2024. The university was to start the process on May 19 but had put it hold over OBC-reservation disputes. The next date of inviting applications was set for June 18, but the university again pushed it back after the HC stayed the gazette notification on OBC till July 3. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata English department professor Sonia Sahoo confirmed the drop in number. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Several factors may be behind the dip. First, students do not like uncertainty, and the delay in opening the admission portal may have prompted this dip in applications. Another reason could be that students nowadays prefer professional courses rather than spend four years for a traditional undergraduate degree, according to the NEP curriculum," she said. A university official pointed out that the number of applications in other arts and science subjects, too, such as Bengali, comparative literature, international relations, history, maths, physics and chemistry, saw a dip. For example, the Bengali department received 290 applications this year, while the figure was 406 last year. The chemistry department received 1,286 applications last year and 926 this time. Pointing out that the drop was an alarming trend, Bengali department professor Rajyeswar Sinha said, "Lack of job opportunities by studying these traditional subjects, coupled with the four-year course under NEP, is probably discouraging students from opting for these subjects." Physics professor Partha Pratim Ray maintained that the delay in opening admission portal led to the decrease in applications. "JU has the autonomy to make its own decisions but the higher education department interfered and told us to keep the admission process in abeyance," said Ray, also JUTA general secretary. Maths professor Abhijit Lahiri said, "Fewer students have applied to maths as there are very few jobs in schools, especially govt jobs secured through SSC. Students consider going in for BTech more beneficial than studying maths honours. It will fetch them a decent job." All arts and science subjects, except Sanskrit, philosophy and geology, will admit students based on Plus-II scores and entrance test results.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
UG admission portal opens at 10 am today to fill 9 lakh seats
Kolkata: The centralised undergraduate admission portal, inaugurated by education minister Bratya Basu on Tuesday, will start receiving applications from 10 am on Wednesday for nine lakh seats across 460 colleges and 17 universities in Bengal. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Minority and autonomous institutes as well as unitary universities, such as Presidency University and Jadavpur University, are not under the centralised portal. BEd and fine and performing arts courses at Rabindra Bharati University are excluded, too. Hours before the Calcutta High Court stayed a gazette notification on OBC, including 140 subgroups, 80 among which are Muslims, till July 31, Basu told reporters the OBC-related case at the HC would not affect admissions. "There will be no impact. 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. Another official, too, urged students to go ahead with admissions. Each candidate can apply for 25 programmes or courses at one or multiple institutes in the state. The last date for applications is July 1, the first merit list will be published on July 6, and the first round of admissions will be held between July 6 and July 12. No application fee will be required, and students from any part of the country can apply. Basu said, "Last year, more than 4.4 lakh students took admission through this portal. The system ensures a transparent, systematic and easy-to-access process. Candidates can opt for courses and institutes of their choice on this single-window platform. It stops students from taking multiple admissions at the same time. A chatbot, 'Bina', will help candidates navigate through the process." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Once the merit list is published, students can book a seat, which can be upgraded in the next round, subject to seat vacancy and merit position. Applicants can keep tabs on their status on a dashboard. Candidates will pay once through the portal while taking provisional admission. "But they may have to pay extra if they go in for a seat upgrade, depending on the institute fee," said an official. "Eligible applicants will be notified via SMS and email. " On the delay in the opening of the admission portal and apprehensions about filling seats, Basu said, "Admissions were stalled due to the OBC-reservation issue. But once the backward classes welfare department published the gazette notification, we opened the portal in seven days. We are on a par with the UGC timeline. We plan to rationalise seats—increase seats for subjects in demand and at colleges, where the rush is more. "
