West Bengal's OBC Reservation Dispute Stalls JEE Results, Delays College Admissions

A legal dispute over changes to West Bengal’s OBC reservation list is causing significant disruptions to undergraduate admissions this year, especially for engineering aspirants relying on the state's Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE). The core of the issue lies in a tug-of-war between state policy, judicial intervention, and the academic calendar.

What’s the Dispute About?

The West Bengal government recently introduced 140 additional sub-castes into the OBC category. This move is currently under legal scrutiny. While the state sees it as part of its constitutional powers to revise the OBC list — something supported by the Supreme Court's own precedent (notably the 1992 Indra Sawhney case) — the Calcutta High Court had earlier ruled against the inclusion, effectively cancelling certificates for many candidates.

Supreme Court's Role and Timeline

On July 28, the Supreme Court issued a temporary stay on the High Court’s ruling, providing interim relief to the state. However, it did not directly reinstate the cancelled OBC certificates. A full hearing is now set for September 9, after an earlier date in August passed without the case being addressed due to time constraints.

High Court’s Fresh Intervention

Just when it seemed the legal matter might be nearing resolution, a new complication emerged. On August 7, Justice Kaushik Chanda of the Calcutta High Court halted the publication of WBJEE results. The court directed the examination board to revise the merit list based on pre-2010 reservation norms, which offered only 7% reservation across 66 recognized OBC groups.

This judgment also criticized the board for allowing students to apply using certificates invalidated in May — and ordered the merit list to be updated within 15 days, applying the older classification system.

Fallout for Students and Institutions

This legal back-and-forth has left thousands of students in limbo. Results that were expected to be released on August 7 have been postponed indefinitely, leaving colleges unable to finalize admissions.

Institutions like Lady Brabourne College report that the delay is already affecting their academic calendar, with classes meant to start on August 1 now on hold. Engineering colleges are also warning that first-semester exams could be impacted if admissions don't resume soon.

B.Tech. programs in more than 100 private colleges, 10 government engineering institutes, and major universities like Jadavpur and Calcutta University depend entirely on the WBJEE ranking system.

What Happens Next?

Until the Supreme Court provides further clarity on September 9, both the state and students remain in a holding pattern. The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board has stated it is waiting for further instructions from the higher education department before publishing any results.

Meanwhile, debates around the fairness, timing, and execution of reservation policy continue to intersect with the real-world pressures of academic deadlines — with students caught in the crossfire.