In a significant shift in its admission policy, Presidency University in Kolkata is set to reclaim control over its undergraduate admissions process. The move comes after a majority of its academic departments voted to conduct their own student selection, marking a potential end to the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board's (WBJEEB) role in the process that began nearly a decade ago.
Departments Vote for Autonomy in Student Selection
During a crucial admission committee meeting held on Wednesday, 14 out of 19 academic departments at Presidency University expressed their desire to conduct their own undergraduate admission procedures. This decisive vote signals a major departure from the current system where the WBJEEB has been conducting entrance tests for both UG and postgraduate admissions since 2015.
University registrar Debajyoti Konar confirmed the development, stating that the proposal from the majority of departments will now be placed before the institution's highest governing body for final consideration and approval. "The university will soon tell the board it will conduct its own admissions from this year," a university official added, highlighting the immediacy of the planned change.
Diverse Selection Methods Proposed by Departments
The decision grants individual departments the autonomy to design their own screening mechanisms for prospective students. Among the 14 departments opting for independence, a varied approach to selection has emerged.
Nine departments, including Chemistry, Political Science, and Life Sciences, plan to hold their own entrance tests featuring multiple-choice questions. However, five other departments, such as Geology, have proposed alternative selection criteria that do not rely solely on a standardized entrance exam.
A senior teacher from the Geology department explained their rationale, noting that since geology is not taught at the school level, a conventional entrance exam may not accurately assess a candidate's aptitude for the subject. "The department has seen that conducting exams on maths, physics, chemistry, and life science does not really check a geology candidate's aptitude for the subject," the teacher said.
Consequently, the Geology department intends to admit students based on their performance in Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations. They have also devised a specific formula to accommodate board scores in basic science subjects, ensuring a fair and relevant assessment.
Logistical Concerns and Faculty Dissatisfaction
While the majority favored the shift, the university official noted that some departments initially preferred the WBJEEB to continue handling entrance tests to avoid potential logistical challenges at the department level. In response, the admission committee has granted these departments additional time to deliberate and finalize their student screening modalities to effectively test subject aptitude and domain knowledge.
This move follows growing dissatisfaction among Presidency University faculty with the WBJEEB's handling of admissions. In July of the previous year, teachers wrote a letter to Vice-Chancellor Nirmalya Narayan Chakraborty, expressing serious concerns.
The letter highlighted that in the initial years of the partnership, Presidency faculty were involved in setting question papers, which ensured academic rigor and contextual appropriateness. Teachers expressed reservations when the WBJEEB took over the entire question-setting process. While acknowledging the board's goal of expanding access across the state, the letter cited "recent developments marked by inefficiencies and opacity" as the reason for reconsidering the arrangement.
A Return to Roots with New Parameters
This decision represents a return to the university's earlier practice, as Presidency University conducted its own admissions before the WBJEEB's involvement began in 2015. Interestingly, the university had already taken a step in this direction by independently conducting its postgraduate admissions for the 2025 academic session, based on candidates' graduation and Class 12 marks, while UG admissions remained with the board.
The impending change underscores a broader trend of premier educational institutions seeking greater control over their admission processes to align selection methods more closely with their specific academic requirements and values. The final decision from the university's highest body is now awaited, which could reshape the admission landscape for one of Kolkata's most historic universities.
