Kolkata: Presidency University has begun reviewing its undergraduate and postgraduate admission process for the 2026–27 academic session, with the admission committee holding a meeting on Thursday to consider broad options, university officials said.
No decision was taken at the meeting. Departments have been asked to examine possible admission models at the level of their respective Boards of Studies (BoS) and submit recommendations. The admission committee is expected to review these at a subsequent meeting in January.
At present, admissions to the university’s 16 undergraduate programmes are conducted through the Presidency University Bachelor Degree Entrance Test (PUBDET), while entry to postgraduate courses is through the Presidency University Master Degree Entrance Test (PUMDET). Both examinations are conducted by the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB). This centralised arrangement has been in place for several years, except in 2021, when PUBDET was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The system encountered difficulties during the 2025–26 admission cycle. Although PUBDET was conducted, the declaration of results was delayed because of legal complications related to OBC reservations. PUMDET could not be held on its scheduled dates for the same reason. The university subsequently conducted postgraduate admissions independently, using candidates’ graduation and Class XII marks. Against this backdrop, the admission committee discussed whether to continue with WBJEEB-conducted entrance tests, shift to a university-level examination, or adopt a marks-based admission system for the 2026–27 session. Departments have been asked to assess the academic and logistical feasibility of each option.
The issue of bringing PUBDET and PUMDET under the direct control of the university has been raised on multiple occasions in the past. Sources said the Board is also reluctant to handle the tests because of pressure from other examinations, while academic concerns—particularly the lack of scope for evaluative answers in subjects such as literature and the social sciences—have added to demands for university-run examinations.
University authorities said the exercise was part of a routine statutory process. Registrar Debajyoti Konar said the Boards of Studies would place their views before the admission committee, after which a final decision on the admission procedure for 2026–27 would be taken at a subsequent meeting.