Admission to colleges in West Bengal via online mode this year

Admission to colleges in West Bengal for under-graduate courses will be through the online mode this year and students will not be called for counselling or verification of documents due to the COVID-19 pandemic, state Higher Education department said.

The department in a notification on Thursday said after the publication of higher secondary results, admission to all under-graduate courses in the state-funded higher educational institutions for the ensuing academic session will be made online (stand alone mode) with effect from August 10, 2020.

"Prospective candidates should not be called for counselling or verification of documents during the process of admission," the notification said, adding that eligible candidates should be emailed by college and all testimonials will be uploaded online during verification.

Verification of documents should be done only when the students report for the classes in due course, the notice said.

Reacting to the notification, All Bengal University Teachers Association (ABUTA) said in a statement, "it will not be possible for many students in rural as well as urban areas to get the benefit of online admissions in the present COVID- 19 situation." The Left teachers' body said: "While internet connectivity is weak in many rural pockets, many parts of the state including Kolkata have been turned into containment zone. Students in containment zones will have to risk their lives to visit a cyber cafe and upload data."

ABUTA leader Goutam Maity said, "if the government maintains classes cannot be immediately held due to COVID-19 situation, why such tearing hurry for starting admission." Education minister Partha Chatterjee said on Wednesday that students will take admission to colleges in the state for under-graduate courses through the online mode this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.