KOLKATA: Many colleges have decided to float something called a “wish list” where applicants from the general merit list can express their desire to take admission in a particular subject which will then help the colleges to prepare a merit list from the pool of names on the wish list.
The decision has come after colleges have figured that the admissions to under graduate courses are very slow even after publishing multiple merit lists.
Next week is going to be important for UG admissions with Jadavpur University and Presidency University, both being preferred choice of many high scorers in boards, scheduled to publish their lists.
Last year, many colleges did introduce wish list but that was at a much later stage when seats could not be filled up even after extending the deadline many times. So this year, many colleges have already collecting names of applicants from the wish list.
Asutosh College has already started requesting applicants to provide their names and choice of subjects for the wish list.
“After a few cycles of admission, we will prepare merit lists from the names on the wish list. This will save us from publishing multiple lists with names of those candidates who are not interested in taking admission. This results in wastage of time which is very important because we have to start classes by October 1,” said an official of the college. “We already have a healthy number of students who have expressed interest on the wish list with almost 1,200 students in English, 750 in history, 350 in psychology and 800 in geography.”
A college principal explained why wish list is important. “The top scorers have applied in most colleges and universities so naturally their names will feature on the first few merit lists of almost all colleges. But they can take admission only in one. As a result other colleges have to publish more lists to fill up the seats. With wish list we know who is interested in studying in a particular college in a particular subject. That saves time and helps admit the meritorious students.”
Scottish Church College which has already published two merit lists is also toying with the idea of wish list registration. “We have plans so that we can both save time and admit meritorious students,” said an official of the college.
Bethune College plans wish list registration by the end of the second week of September. “By then we will have an idea how many seats are left to be filled. If required we will go in for wish list registration then,” said an official.
Last year the education department extended the deadline multiple times so that seats could be filled up. Even Presidency University, Jadavpur University, Lady Brabourne College, Asutosh College, Scottish Church and Bethune struggled to fill up seats in some subjects.
Lady Brabourne College has posted on the website informing students to keep a tab on the website for wish list registration. Seth Anandaram Jaipuria College too is toying with the idea of wish list. “We will publish a few more merit lists before going in for wish list registration,” said an official.
