CU to open PG entry portal today, test must for all

Kolkata: Calcutta University is set to begin postgraduate admissions from Monday, ahead of the undergraduate sixth-semester exams. Students will have to choose if they want to quit or continue. The university has made entrance test mandatory for every student from this year. The 2023-24 batch is in its third year under the new programme, making this the first time students will formally face the choice of either exiting after six semesters or continuing into the fourth year. University officials said the early start to PG admissions is intended to give students clarity and options before they decide their next academic step.The PG admission portal will remain open from May 11 to May 20. This year, the university has made the entrance test compulsory for all applicants, including students from CU-affiliated colleges. Earlier, CU students were not always required to take the entrance test to PG courses.Officials said the decision to hold a common entrance test for both CU students and candidates from other universities was taken to assess preparedness for PG study. It also reflects the transition phase created by the new UG framework, under which some students may leave after three years and seek admission into a two-year PG course while others may complete the four-year degree and become eligible for a one-year PG programme.Under the admission policy, 60% of PG seats will be reserved for current-year CU students. The remaining will be open to all applicants, including CU students. For the 60% reserved category, the merit list will be prepared on the basis of a combined weightage of marks obtained in the major subject up to semester five and the entrance test score. For the open 40% category, the merit list will be based solely on performance in the entrance test.A university official said, "A provisional list will be published because the admission process is expected to conclude before sixth-semester results are declared. If a student fails to clear the sixth semester, the admission will be cancelled, since passing all semesters is mandatory for entry into postgrad-uate programmes."Officials said the university wants to avoid the delays seen in previous years. Last year, too, although the process began before sixth-semester results were out, admissions continued until Dec.CU has also revised eligibility rules for PG applicants. Earlier, students were allowed a one-year gap to apply after graduation. That window has been extended to five years. An arts faculty official said the change was made after repeated requests from students who wanted another chance to get admission to PG programme after a gap. The university feels a good number of students may opt for the exit option after the third year under the NEP framework.