Kolkata: Undergraduate (UG) classes for first-semester students finally began across Bengal’s colleges and universities on Friday, nearly a month late, after a prolonged legal impasse over OBC reservations delayed the admission schedule.
The 2025-26 session, originally set to start on August 1, commenced only on August 29 following the completion of physical verification of candidates admitted through the centralised portal on Thursday. According to the Higher Education department, of the 2.30 lakh students who paid admission fees online, 2,25,825 confirmed their admission.
The delayed start has forced colleges to plan classes, both online and offline, during the Puja vacation. “Our teachers plan to take online classes on government-declared holidays, depending on students’ convenience. Also, between Lakshmi Puja and Kali Puja, and again between Bhai Dooj and Jagaddhatri Puja, we intend to keep the college open for physical classes,” said Lady Brabourne College principal Siuli Sarkar. The college will close for Puja on September 20 and reopen on November 6.
New Alipore College, which filled 742 seats in the first round, is also considering online classes during the break. “If needed, we will start after Lakshmi Puja,” said principal Jaydeep Sarangi. Bethune College principal Rajyasri Roy said special classes would only be possible if most students were present. “Many of our outstation students travel home during Puja. We will hold offline classes only if attendance is sufficient,” she explained.
Despite a smooth first day, poor admissions remain a concern. At Lady Brabourne College, just 235 of 629 seats have been filled. “Nearly 400 seats are vacant. Many applicants are confused about the preference system on the portal, so we are counselling them to reapply correctly in the next phase,” Sarkar added. Colleges are also wary of losing admitted students as WBJEE counselling for engineering, pharmacy and architecture courses has begun. “Retaining students is the biggest challenge. Had the counselling been completed earlier, it would have eased the pressure,” said Chandernagore Government College principal Debasis Sarkar.
On Friday, most institutions held orientation sessions as mandated by UGC, explaining anti-ragging rules, grievance redressal mechanisms, academic schedules and campus culture to freshers.