HC:Students Have 2 Options To Choose Engg Colleges

The West Bengal JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Board was directed by the Calcutta High Court to allow students to give 2 options for Engineering colleges in the second round of Counselling which will be held from July 13, 2012.

The court justice, Girish Gupta directed the JEE Board to advertise both in English and Regional language newspapers that students can now give a second option of an Engineering Colleges for admissions.

The court claimed that the process which is currently followed by the Board is not correct and was impacting the students. The petition was filed by St.Mary's Technological Foundation, which is a minority institute.

Also, the court ordered the petitioner asking to file cross affidavits within a period of 6 months. The high court has passed an interim order restraining the state JEE Board from holding a second round of counselling for admitting students to Undergraduate Engineering Courses.

Before fixing the matter for further hearing on July 16, the judge said "In the present system, students appearing in the second round are in the dark about vacancy and allowed to give only one choice. The board will have to publish a notice in leading newspapers in this regard".

The issue is based on the vacant seats which were left behind during last year's admission process. This year again a large number of 32,000 odd engineering seats are lying vacant after first round of counselling. Hence the lawyer who appeared for the Institute pleaded with the court that the board be asked to publish a list mentioning the names of the department and the college against each vacant seat.