Presidency University in Kolkata has received more than 15,000 applications for undergraduate courses this year, nearly double the number from last year when 7,803 applications were submitted. The surge comes as the university conducted its own admission process for the first time in a decade, moving away from the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board (WBJEEB) system.
Shift in Admission Process
Since 2015, WBJEEB had been handling admissions for Presidency University. This year, the university decided to manage admissions independently. Registrar Debajyoti Konar confirmed that 15,486 applications were received, compared to 7,803 last year. He noted that the admission notification was published after the Higher Secondary (HS) results, whereas WBJEEB used to issue notifications in February before HS results.
Most Sought-After Subjects
English emerged as the most popular subject with 2,800 applications, followed by Biotechnology with 2,500. Among other science subjects, Life Sciences and Physics received nearly 1,500 applications each, Mathematics had 1,100, and Chemistry 800. In the arts stream, Political Science received nearly 1,000 applications, followed by History and Sociology with about 500 each.
Dean of Arts Sumit Chakrabarti explained that WBJEEB often conducted entrance exams late, causing students to take admission elsewhere. This year, the timely start of the process generated enthusiasm. He also mentioned that since WBJEEB conducted group-wise exams for some subjects, actual demand was unclear. Now, individual applications provide clearer insights.
Chakrabarti, also an English professor, highlighted that English is a flagship department, attracting continued interest.
Increase in Applications for Key Subjects
Subjects like Life Sciences, Political Science, and English, which had separate tests by WBJEEB, also saw application increases. Last year, Life Sciences had around 1,100 applications and Political Science 600.
Dean of Science Sankar Bose stated that the decision to conduct their own admission test was to ensure classes start on time and the academic calendar is not disrupted. He noted that the number of applications in science subjects exceeded expectations, with Biotechnology being the most sought-after new-age course.
Admission Test Details
Arnab Halder, Chairman of the Admission Test Steering Committee, said that six out of 17 departments will conduct OMR-based entrance tests, while others will admit based on a formula combining Class 10 and 12 marks. The tests will follow public exam protocols, with answer keys uploaded and question booklets provided to students.
