The West Bengal government has extended by two weeks the last date for filing of applications through the centralised portal for admission to colleges that are run and aided by it. File.
The West Bengal government has extended by two weeks the last date for filing of applications through the centralised portal for admission to colleges that are run and aided by it. This is a decision that many in the teaching community see as an indication that the number of students seeking to pursue higher education in the State might be dropping.
On June 12, the State government had set July 1 as the late date for filing of applications for undergraduate courses but now the same has been extended to July 15. No reason was given in the circular for the extension, though Education Minister Bratya Basu, in a recent post, said the decision was taken on the instruction of the Chief Minister for the convenience of students. According to him, as many as 3.2 lakh students had registered in the portal so far, a figure that, according to many teachers, is not impressive, if not low.
As it is, there was a long delay in the opening of the centralised portal — which was introduced only last year — because West Bengal’s list of communities eligible for reservation under the OBC category is caught in a legal tangle and a hearing is expected at the end of this month.
“Students are definitely moving out to other States. Those who can afford to send their children outside the State are sending them. Already there is a delay. Those wanting to join colleges, how long will they wait? Court never put a bar on admissions. No explanation was given why the admission was delayed,” Ishita Mukhopadhyay, professor of economics at the University of Calcutta, told The Hindu.
‘Adverse ratio’
“There has been no recruitment of teachers in colleges. Students are already aware of the adverse student-teacher ratio. This is also another reason for low admission. Moreover, law and order in colleges is under question mark after the incidents at R.G. Kar Hospital and South Calcutta Law College. Nobody can deny that goons control these institutions and the goons are powerful. Lastly, the employment scenario is grim, so youth are thinking twice before taking admission here,” Prof. Mukhopadhyay said.
There was a time, until not very long ago, when young students took pride in joining institutions of higher education in West Bengal, particularly Kolkata, but of late many parents are keen that their children go to cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, even Bhubaneswar.
“By this time last year, our English department had received close to 1,000 applications. This year we have hardly got 350. Obviously, colleges in West Bengal appear to be failing to attract students because most of them are facing an unusually large number of vacancies for undergraduate courses this year. Why else would they extend the last date for filing of applications?” asked a professor, who wanted to remain anonymous and also did not want to name her college.
Another professor seeking anonymity said, “Yes, the desire to study outside West Bengal could be a probable reason for colleges still showing large vacancies. Many students are prioritising vocational training or immediate employment opportunities over traditional degree programmes nowadays. There could also be a mismatch between student interests and available courses. Additionally, the delay in the opening of the centralised admission portal might have also contributed to the huge vacancies, with many students taking admission elsewhere.”
Published – July 03, 2025 07:53 pm IST
