College Admission: The state government has once again extended the application deadline for undergraduate admissions through the unified portal, creating renewed anxiety and uncertainty among students and parents. The Higher Education Department has been compelled to take this decision as the hearing regarding the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC) is still pending in the Supreme Court. While this has brought relief to many students, it has also created significant uncertainty regarding the start of the academic year.
Key Highlights at a Glance:
- Deadline Extended: The last date for submitting undergraduate applications has been extended from July 25th to July 30th. The Supreme Court is likely to hear the case on Monday, and the state is keeping a close watch.
- Number of Applicants: As of Friday evening, approximately 356,000 students have registered for admission in various colleges and universities across the state. However, it is noteworthy that the number of new applications in the last 10 days is only about 8,000, highlighting the slow pace of the admission process.
- Seats vs. Applicants: There are approximately 948,000 undergraduate seats available in the state, compared to 430,000 students who passed the Higher Secondary examinations this year. Education experts fear that this large gap may lead to many seats remaining vacant.
Why This Delay?
According to officials in the Higher Education Department, the main reason for this impasse is the prolonged nature of the OBC reservation case. Despite the state government’s appeal to the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court’s verdict, the hearing date has been repeatedly postponed. Consequently, the state government is also forced to continuously extend the admission deadline. Initially, it was from July 1st to 15th, then to July 25th, and now it has been extended to July 30th.
State’s Efforts and the Way Forward
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the state government, has appealed to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for an expedited hearing of the case. Although the case was listed last week, the hearing did not ultimately take place. Now, all eyes are on Monday. The verdict of this hearing will determine the future of millions of students in the state and the commencement of the new academic year. The academic community in the state is concerned about the impact of this prolonged delay on the education system.
