A large number of reserved category seats in undergraduate courses are lying vacant and many colleges have sought the government’s permission to allow fresh applications from students.

The government will consider granting permission to colleges after examining the exact vacancy positions, education minister Partha Chatterjee said on Saturday.

“Some colleges have complained that a number of seats in undergraduate courses are lying vacant. I have sought details from the universities they are affiliated to,” Chatterjee said. “We will take a call after going through the reports.”

Close to 45 per cent seats in all subjects in BA, BSc and BCom courses are reserved for SC, ST, OBC-A, OBC-B and the disabled.

Several colleges have told Calcutta University and the higher education department that more than 90 per cent of the reserved seats have not been filled up.

In some colleges a good number of seats meant for general category students in “some unpopular subjects” are also lying vacant.

The principal of a college on the city’s southern outskirts said more than 95 per cent of the reserved seats in all subjects were lying vacant. In subjects such as philosophy and economics, seats in the general category, too, are lying vacant.

Calcutta University had fixed a uniform admission schedule for all its 150-odd colleges, following a directive from the higher education department.

The university has barred colleges from accepting applications from students beyond the last date fixed by the university for submission of admission forms. June 12 was the last date for submitting forms online.

Education minister Chatterjee, however, made it clear on Saturday that even if colleges were to be allowed to seek fresh applications, admissions would have to be conducted online.