KOLKATA: Autonomous higher educational institute St Xavier’s College has decided to continue with its own entrance process for undergraduate courses and not adopt the state government’s centralised admission system. Following a meeting among education minister Bratya Basu and vice-chancellors of state and aided universities on Thursday, the education department decided to start centralised counselling for undergraduate candidates at state-run colleges and universities from the new academic session.
Jadavpur University and Rabindra Bharati University’s fine arts and visual arts departments have been kept out of the ambit of the centralised admission. Other unitary universities, like Presidency University, have been given time to decide whether they want to adopt it or follow their own entrance process. Almost all other government and government-aided colleges will have to follow the centralised admission system, which will be conducted by the West Bengal State Council of Higher Education through a single portal.
St Xavier’s College, which is an autonomous institute, will hold its own admission process. “St Xavier’s College is autonomous and we will be carrying out our own admissions like we have done so far. The admission portal will be opened as soon as the board results are out,” said Father Dominic Savio, principal at St Xavier’s College.
The education department has also given autonomous Ramakrishna Mission colleges the option to choose between the centralised system and their own. An official said the decision was yet to be taken.
Presidency University has made no official announcement on its decision. “A decision is likely soon,” said an official.
Several college principals and educationists were consulted for the new process. “Students will have to apply through that one portal only instead of individually submitting forms to different colleges. Candidates will have the option to list out names of colleges of their preference but the council will have the final say in the institute they can secure admission in,” said an official.
“Colleges will receive a list of students to be admitted. Once the procedure is over, we will send the details to the university,” said the principal of a north Kolkata college.
