Summary
Centralised system, which the government has said will debut in the forthcoming session, will allow applicants to choose their desired course or courses in colleges of their choice via a single platform
The principals of government and government-aided colleges are worried over the forthcoming undergraduate admission process as the education department is yet to announce the schedule for the centralised online admission.
The centralised system, which the government has said will debut in the forthcoming session, will allow applicants to choose their desired course or courses in colleges of their choice via a single platform.
The system also aims to stop multiple admissions by a student, in different colleges and universities (affiliating), to minimise the number of seats remaining vacant after the start of the session.
Education minister Bratya Basu told The Telegraph on Thursday: “We will make an announcement at an appropriate time."
Education department officials said details of the centralised online admission process were being worked out and an announcement could be made next week.
The autonomous colleges under the Ramakrishna Mission have announced the dates of admission tests because they are outside the purview of the centralised system.
Unitary universities such as Jadavpur and Presidency, too, are outside the purview of the centralised system.
The education department had on April 25 announced that the centralised admission system would be rolled out in the 2023-24 academic year.
In the past month, the plus II results of the CBSE, ICSE council and the state higher secondary council have been announced. But the department is yet to announce details of the new admission system.
"This has triggered anxiety among undergraduate aspirants. We will soon meet education minister Bratya Basu in this regard,” said Purna Chandra Maity, president of the All Bengal Principal Council.
Abhijit Das, who passed the high secondary examination this year from a government-aided school, said: “We are eager to know how and where we will post the marks. I also need to know how many subjects I can opt for in the centralised admission mechanism and how I will come to know that I have been selected for a course. The earlier the announcement is made, the better”.
The education department had on May 11 set up a 10-member joint task force to coordinate with the persons concerned about the implementation of the centralised system.
The committee has held several meetings but no announcement has yet been made.
The principal of a college in south Kolkata said they have sent to the department the seat matrix and the subject combinations they will offer. “We are being flooded with calls from undergraduate aspirants and their parents. But we are clueless ourselves about the system,” he said.
Syamalendu Chatterjee, secretary of the All Bengal Principals' Council, said the fact that the autonomous colleges are going ahead with their own admission mechanism and the other colleges are doing nothing is putting pressure on students.
“Autonomous colleges have limited seats. So the department needs to clarify its stand on the introduction of the centralised admission system immediately,” he said.
Chatterjee said the department has yet to announce whether the government and aided colleges and the state universities will introduce the four-year undergraduate programme in the forthcoming session.
Last updated on 26 May 2023
