Calcutta University tops state-aided varsities with over 6.5L UG applications

Kolkata: Calcutta University has emerged as the most sought-after higher education institution in Bengal, receiving a staggering 6,47,587 applications for undergraduate (UG) admissions through the West Bengal Centralised Admission Portal (WBCAP) this year—the highest among all 17 state-aided universities.

According to data released by the state Higher Education department, 19,36,329 applications have been submitted so far for admission to 7,229 undergraduate courses offered by 460 colleges affiliated with these universities. Calcutta University alone accounted for over one-third of the total, with 33.44 per cent of all applications, underscoring its continued dominance in the state’s academic landscape.

Gour Banga University came second with 2,24,536 applications, followed by Burdwan University (2,04,248) and Kalyani University (1,93,472). North Bengal University and West Bengal State University received 1,39,900 and 1,22,375 applications respectively.

Other notable figures include Vidyasagar University (95,096), Kazi Nazrul University (59,515), Sidho-Kanho-Birsha University (81,998), Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University (72,976) and Bankura University (53,032).At the bottom were newer or

smaller institutions.

Alipurduar University received just 5,207 applications, followed by Murshidabad University (15,014) and Raiganj University (16,289). Diamond Harbour Women’s University (DHWU) and The Sanskrit College and University received only 708 and 648 applications, respectively, while Rabindra Bharati University drew 3,728. Officials attributed the low numbers at DHWU and Sanskrit College to their status as stand-alone institutions without affiliated colleges.

Commenting on Calcutta University’s appeal, a senior official said: “That’s quite normal.” The application deadline, initially set for July 1, was extended to July 15. The extension saw nearly 20,000 more student registrations and over 1.1 lakh additional applications. As of 6 pm on July 1, 3,25,342 students had submitted 18,24,914 applications. By July 10, this rose to about 3.41 lakh students and 19,36,329 applications.

“Extending the application deadline helped us reach more students, especially in remote areas who may have missed the initial window,” said an official. “We spread the word through social media and, more importantly, through schools using the District Inspector network. That outreach clearly made a difference. Our aim was to ensure that no eligible student missed out due to lack of access.”