TNN | May 31, 2014, KOLKATA: A day after education minister Partha Chatterjee went back on the government's earlier promise of centralized online admission, disappointment and confusion prevailed on campuses across the state. While college authorities went into a huddle to review the situation and decide on their admission process, students braced for the meandering queues yet again.
With the threat of students' union intervention looming large, no one was ready to scrap admission forms. While some colleges that already have an online system chose to hold on to it, others were contemplating a parallel manual system to keep all quarters happy.
At Asutosh College, the admission criteria were put up soon after the declaration of Higher Secondary examination results on Friday morning. After a long meeting, the authorities decided to continue with the online system, but didn't rule out manual distribution of forms.
"We are affiliated to Calcutta University and aided by the government, so we have to work under the rules of the university. We received a circular from CU and held an emergency meeting where all departments discussed how we are going to proceed with the admission process. I am hopeful that the centralized online system will be implemented sooner or later. Since we already have the system in place, the transformation should be smooth for us," said principal Deepak Kumar Kar. The college will take a decision on distributing forms next week.
Maulana Azad College, too, will take a call after June 2. It will continue with its online system, say sources. There is growing resentment over scrapping of the centralized online system. Zoology teacher T N Khan felt it would have benefited both students and teachers. "Teachers have to get involved in the admission process, which takes up a lot of time. It will be a problem for us because we are understaffed. An integrated system would have made the process more organized," he said.
Most students and parents felt the U-turn on online admission was a regressive step. Manisha Goswami, whose daughter Madurima has just passed her CBSE exams, visited Asutosh College to collect an admission form. "It is very irritating and extremely confusing for us. Till yesterday we knew there would be a centralized system and were relieved. Suddenly, they have taken a 360-degree turn and we are back to square one. It would have been great if the system was implemented because we now feel stranded," she said.
At South City College, the students' union was pitching strongly for manual forms, even though the college has an online system. Nandan, a union member and third-year student, felt the system will not do any good to the college. "The role of the union will be over and everything will be monitored by the central university," he said.
Some, like third-year student Sidhant Singh, felt the system would have made it easier for applicants. "They wouldn't have to go through the hassle of running around colleges. But the students' union would have been reduced to a non-entity," he said. This is something unions aren't ready to accept.
Monideepa Santra, a student of Beltala Girls High School, took a bus to Asutosh College just after getting her HS results. She knows she has a tiring week ahead. "I must visit at least half a dozen colleges and pick up forms. A week later, I will have to return to each of them to submit the forms. It's a waste of time that could have been avoided had the centralized online system been implemented. This is hugely disappointing," sad Monideepa.
Scottish Church College, however, will stick to its online system. The college has taken it a step ahead this year. "So far, admission forms could be submitted online, but the application fee had to be paid manually. This time, it can be remitted online as well. The system has changed the admission process and made it so much easier for students. Eventually, everything will have to go online," said principal John Abraham.
St Xavier's College, now an autonomous institution, has had an online admission system for 10 years. Principal Father Felix Raj felt the system has streamlined the admission process and made it transparent and easier for the college. "It saves students the hassle and the stress of having to run around for admission. Our applicants need not visit the college at all till they are called to appear for an admission test. Let us hope that Calcutta University will have the online system up and running soon," he said. Loreto College, too, will stick to online this year.
Online is the way forward: Presidency University official
TNN | May 31, 2014, KOLKATA: The government may have scrapped the centralized online admission system for affiliated colleges of Calcutta University, but the prestigious Presidency University is going ahead with online admissions for the eighth time.
Presidency switched to online admission in 2007 and the system has been working fine, say university authorities.
Though she desisted from commenting directly on the state government's move, Debasruti Roychowdhury, the dean of students at Presidency, said e-governance is the only way in which transparency in admissions can be sought. "We are going in for a greater dependence on e-governance and in the near future, even admission test may be written online. We cannot deny its importance if we have to move forward," she said. The university does not wish to hassle students by bringing them to the campus before the admission test and hence this dependence on online admissions.
Undergraduate students will be able to fill their forms online from June 1 to 10. From June 2 to 11, they will be able to submit the money required for admission test. They can visit any branch of the university's banker and either opt for money transfer if they hold an account in the bank or manually submit the amount. The UG admission test will be held between June 14 and 17. The UG merit list will be published on June 30. Classes will start on July 21 after a welcome speech by the vice-chancellor.
Apart from the College Street campus, the university held its admission tests last year at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), too. This year, Jalpaiguri Zilla School is being added as another venue. "We get a large number of students from the northeast. For them, we are trying to start an admission test centre in Guwahati, but this is not confirmed yet," Roychowdhury said.
The university has not digressed from its age-old tradition of giving 50% weightage to the marks scored by a candidate in a board exam and 50% to his/her admission test score. The eligibility criteria will be available on the university's website.
The challan from the bank will act as the admit card for the admission test. If a candidate gets stuck at any stage of the online submission or bank transfer, he or she can contact a designated help desk on the university campus.
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