The Bengal higher education department on Wednesday told colleges and universities that a “prospective student should not be called for counselling or verification of documents during the process of admission” because of the pandemic.

The colleges will start accepting applications online for the admission process from August 2. They will receive the applications till August 20, says a notification issued on Wednesday for the affiliating universities.

The admission process was announced a day after the state higher secondary council said that Bengal board Class XII results would be declared on July 22.

No physical presence “will be required at the college/university” says the notification.

After the plus-II results are published across all the major boards, the colleges will assess how the students have performed. They will come up with the eligibility criteria and a format for online applications on their websites, said an official of the department.

“If a college wants to factor in the marks of the secondary exams (Class X) held in pen-and-paper mode in 2019 as well while drawing up the merit list, it has to speak to the respective affiliating university. Since the plus-II exams could not be conducted and students have largely been evaluated based on marks in Class X board and Class XI exams and internal assessment or practical in Class XII, many

colleges desire to consider the marks of the Class X exams,” he said.

An undergraduate aspirant will apply according to the eligibility criteria and enter the best-four score and marks in the subject a candidate wants to major, in the application format. Scanned marksheets will have to be attached to the format.

After going through the scores, each college will prepare a merit list and upload it on its website. Colleges have to publish the list by August 31.

Vice-chancellor of an affiliating university said the colleges would have to inform the prospective candidates through text message/WhatsApp or email that their names feature on the merit list. They will be given details of the bank where they will make the payment of the admission fees.

The lists containing names of eligible candidates will also be provided to the concerned bank branches for verification during payment.

The notification says: “Payment of fees should be done only through e-payment or designated banks and not physically at the colleges.”

The undergraduate admission process would have to be completed by September 30.

A communication will be sent to the colleges by the banks.

The colleges will then alert the selected students about the commencement of classes over digital platforms in case the Covid situation does not improve for the resumption of in-person classes by October 1 — a schedule fixed for the start of classes.

Documents will be verified as and when students are allowed to visit the colleges. “Admissions will stand cancelled if the documents are found not in conformity with the declarations made in the online application,” said an official.

The notification said candidates would not be charged anything for scanning or uploading of documents and for the application forms or the college prospectus.

Since the JEE board has been barred from holding any admission test on behalf of Presidency University amid the pandemic, vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia said they would admit students based on marks.

Postgraduate entry

The universities will start receiving online applications for postgraduate courses from September 1 to 15.

After publication of the merit list by September 20, classes for masters will start from the last week of October.