Jadavpur University will screen applicants for undergraduate courses in the science faculty through multiple-choice questions.

An official of the university said the admissions committee of the science faculty struck down the idea of screening candidates on short answer-type questions as the assessment of scripts would come in the way of publishing results on time.

Fifty MCQs will be set in each of the four subjects — physics, chemistry, mathematics and geography — that have opted for admission tests, he said.

The committee accepted the proposals of these four departments to screen students by awarding equal weightage to admission tests and Plus-II board marks.

Only the geological sciences department will continue with the practice of admitting students on the basis of Plus-II board marks.

In physics alone, close to 5,000 candidates on an average apply for pursuing honours, said a member of the admission committee.

“Evaluating short answer-type of questions of so many candidates would be a challenge...Owing to logistical constraints, we have settled for MCQs,” he said.