Mandatory online UG admission for 2014-15 dropped

, May 29: The

government has dropped the 'mandatory' online admission to under-graduate courses in state-funded colleges for the current academic year, citing connectivity problems.

Newly-appointed state education minister Partha Chatterjee said online admission was proving difficult because there was no stable connectivity in many colleges and as such the colleges would revert to the normal process of admission for the year 2014-15.

"We have seen there is still lack of connectivity in many colleges. So we are unable to carry out the online admissions," Chatterjee said. However, officials said that if any of the colleges would like to continue admitting students online, it could go ahead.

The state government in a recent notification had said that from the academic year 2014-15, admissions to all UG courses (Honours and General) in state-funded higher education institutions in West Bengal would be through an online merit-based admission system. The notification, issued during earlier incumbent Bratya Basu's tenure, said that government colleges, government-aided colleges, university colleges, universities, which run UG courses, and the like shall fall within the scope of this exercise.

PTI