The results of this year’s joint entrance examinations are likely to be declared on July 2, more than a month after they were announced last year, JEE board officials said on Tuesday.
Since admissions to undergraduate courses could be over by the time the JEE results are announced, the principals of many colleges are fearing an exodus of students enrolled on science courses.
“Many of the students who are enrolling on honours courses in science subjects will crack the JEE. They are likely to quit those courses to take admission in engineering programmes,” a college principal told The Telegraph.
City colleges started admitting students to undergraduate courses immediately after the Higher Secondary results were announced on May 23. First-year classes are likely to start on July 6.
The state JEE was held on May 26, more than a month behind schedule. The tests were originally scheduled for April 21 but had to be deferred because of the Lok Sabha polls.
“The tentative date for the declaration of the JEE results is July 2. We are trying our best to complete the process of preparing the results by then. We need some time to ensure the results are free of errors,” state JEE board chairman Malayendu Saha said.
Once the JEE results are out, a number of seats at various colleges will fall vacant because students will quit to join engineering courses. Since it will not be possible to keep “so many seats” vacant, the colleges will have to conduct fresh admission.
The principals will have a fair idea of how many students are leaving around three weeks after the JEE results are announced, when the JEE board will start e-counselling of shortlisted students.
A large number of the students making it to the JEE merit list decide whether to join an engineering course or not only after the e-counselling. Many shortlisted students prefer to continue with a basic science course if they fail to get a berth in an institution or course of his or her choice.
The principals are wondering whether it would be possible to hold fresh admissions around a month after the commencement of classes.
“Under the choice-based credit system (CBCS), classes start in full swing from the very first day of the session. Students who will join late will have a tough time catching up with the rest,” a principal said.
“If the JEE results are declared on July 2, the second admission season of the session will not start before July-end. The students who will be enrolled in the second phase will join classes in the first week of August,” said Shiuli Sarkar, the principal of Lady Brabourne College.
“Under the CBCS and semester system, it will be difficult for these students to catch up with the rest of the class.”
The principal of another college said the students joining a month later would also face the problem of securing the mandatory 75 per cent attendance.
Calcutta University had last year introduced the system of marking students for attendance.
Students with less than 60 per cent attendance are marked zero and cannot write the semester exams. Those with 60 to 74 per cent attendance are awarded six out of 10 and those with 75 to 90 per cent, eight. A full 10 are awarded to those who have attended more than 90 per cent of the classes.
“It will be difficult for the students who will take admission in the second phase to score 10,” said Jaydeep Sarangi, the principal of New Alipore College.
