Lady Brabourne College Seeks Independent Admission Tests for Postgraduate Courses

Lady Brabourne College has notified Calcutta University of its intention to select candidates for its postgraduate programmes through entrance examinations or personal interviews in the upcoming academic session. The government-run institution currently offers master’s degrees in ten disciplines, including physics, chemistry, mathematics, botany, zoology, microbiology, geography, English, Bengali and political science.

The college principal, Siuli Sarkar, recently met the vice-chancellor of Calcutta University, Ashutosh Ghosh, to reiterate the institution’s request for greater academic independence, particularly in the management of postgraduate admissions. She explained that students completing the existing three-year honours undergraduate programme this year should be assessed through tests or interviews to determine their suitability for advanced study.

According to the college administration, institutions offering postgraduate education should be able to independently evaluate applicants to ensure they possess the necessary academic ability and motivation for higher-level coursework.

However, students who will complete the four-year undergraduate programme under the National Education Policy framework next year may not be required to appear for such assessments. These students would already have demonstrated readiness for postgraduate study through sustained academic performance. Under the NEP model, students maintaining a prescribed CGPA through the sixth semester and completing the eighth semester with a research component will graduate in 2027.

The college indicated that candidates entering the proposed one-year master’s programmes after completing a research-based undergraduate degree could be admitted solely on the basis of academic scores, without additional screening procedures.

At present, Calcutta University reserves 80 per cent of postgraduate seats—including those in affiliated colleges—for its own undergraduate students, who are admitted based on merit. Graduates from other universities must compete for the remaining seats through entrance examinations.

The renewed push for admission autonomy follows earlier representations by several colleges, including Lady Brabourne, Ashutosh College and Scottish Church College, which have argued that centralized control over postgraduate admissions, examinations and syllabi since 2018 has negatively affected academic quality. Prior to that year, colleges had greater authority over their postgraduate programmes.

Ashutosh College principal Manas Kabi, who also met the vice-chancellor, stated that centralized admissions often result in delays, discouraging students and leading to unfilled postgraduate seats. He added that restoring autonomy would allow colleges to conduct their own admission processes, including entrance tests if required.

The principal of Scottish Church College, Madhumanjari Mandal, who attended the same meeting, had earlier submitted a written request emphasizing that academic independence would help foster innovation and strengthen institutional standards.

Responding to these concerns, Vice-Chancellor Ashutosh Ghosh said that the university administration had taken note of the colleges’ demands and that any decision would be made after deliberation by the university’s syndicate.