Presidency University to Conduct its own UG admissions, ends tie-up with JEE Board

Presidency University has decided to conduct its undergraduate admissions on its own, bringing an end to its long-standing collaboration with the state Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) board. This move marks a return to the university’s earlier practice of managing its own selection process.

During a recent meeting of the admissions committee, all 16 academic departments agreed that future intake should be handled either through department-designed entrance tests or on the basis of students’ Plus-II examination results.

For nearly a decade, beginning in 2015, the JEE board had overseen entrance examinations and counselling for Presidency’s undergraduate programmes. Prior to that arrangement, the university conducted its own tests - a system many faculty members believe was more effective in identifying academically strong candidates.

At the meeting, nine departments - including chemistry, Bengali, political science, history, economics, life sciences, astrophysics, statistics, and philosophy - expressed their preference for holding their own admission tests. The remaining seven departments - Physics, Mathematics, English, Sociology, Geology, Performing Arts, and Hindi - chose to admit students based on higher secondary scores.

The chemistry department, for instance, plans to use a combination of entrance test performance and Plus-II marks, with the exact weightage still under discussion. Faculty members there feel that assessments designed by in-house teachers allow for a better evaluation of students’ academic potential.

Over the years, several teachers have raised concerns about the JEE board-led system, arguing that it weakened academic standards. They pointed out that Presidency faculty were no longer involved in setting question papers, which they believe reduced the level of subject depth and conceptual accuracy in the exams.

Last year, faculty members formally conveyed these concerns to the vice-chancellor, noting that while the original intent behind partnering with the JEE board was to widen access across the state, recent issues related to efficiency and transparency had made the arrangement less effective.

The shift toward department-controlled admissions brings Presidency in line with practices at institutions such as Jadavpur University, where most departments manage their own entrance tests. Similarly, autonomous colleges under the Ramakrishna Mission also follow independent admission procedures.

University registrar Debajyoti Konar confirmed that the departments’ proposal will now be reviewed by the governing board, which will take the final call on the new admissions framework.

When the university first handed over admissions to the JEE board, logistical challenges - particularly the lack of enough examination centres - were a major factor. However, with the addition of a second campus in New Town and plans for another in Kurseong, faculty members believe the university is now better equipped to manage its own entrance examinations without difficulty.