JUTA raises concerns over WBJEE decentralised counselling 2026 rules for BTech, BArch admission

The Jadavpur University Teachers' Association (JUTA) has raised concerns over West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEE) decentralised counselling 2026 guidelines, including no option for seat upgrade, exit rules and Class 12 eligibility, among others, for engineering and architecture admissions.

As per the rules of WBJEE’s decentralised counselling brochure, if a candidate gets admitted to a seat/course, they will no longer be able to participate in the counselling process for further phases or seat allotment.

The decentralised counselling will be held through multiple phases, subject to seat vacancy.

JUTA, in its statement, voiced concerns over students who have already secured a seat in engineering institutes but will no longer get the opportunity for an upgrade or to move to a department of their choice in the decentralised counselling process.

Also read With CSE surge, these specialised BTech courses are vanishing from engineering colleges

JUTA demands ‘upgrade option’ for those with higher ranks

It pointed out that seats that are currently vacant will be open for candidates having lower ranks, who have not secured seat in any college, implying that those with higher ranks will be on “verge of losing the opportunity to get into their preferred departments”.

The teachers' group insisted on a “chance for upgrade” and flagged that this is a “grave injustice to high-ranking students” in the name of seat filling

“How can they be deprived halfway through the process? Furthermore, bypassing higher-ranked students to grant opportunities to lower-ranked candidates goes directly against the principles of natural justice. Can such a rule be justified from either a moral or a legal standpoint?”

Also read ‘What nationalism will he teach us?’: Jadavpur University ex-faculty ‘stunned’ by CM’s anti-national smear

Concerns over provision of Class 12 qualified students

Apart from this, another is the provision of admission for students with Class 12 board marks.

As per the decentralised counselling objectives, admission opportunities will be given to those who remain unadmitted after centralised counselling, as well as to eligible new entrants, including candidates applying on the basis of Class 12 marks, wherever permitted.

The teachers' group called it “a direct dilution of eligibility criteria.”

The WBJEE counselling seat allotment is based on candidates’ WBJEE or Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main rank , filled-in college and course preferences, category/reservation rules, and seat availability.

Also read ‘No one feels secure’: Jadavpur University ABVP ‘raid’ leaves students scarred, questioning security collapse

JUTA suggests a single merit list for WBJEE counselling

The WBJEE exam is a state-level entrance exam, while JEE is one of the most competitive national-level entrance exams in the country, with both having different evaluation processes.

JUTA questioned how WBJEE will maintain parity in such cases while compiling a single merit list.

“Although it is always preferred to have priority of JEE mains results for consideration of a student who is interested to join any such course in govt or private Institute. Otherwise WBJEE results can be considered.”

Therefore, in the interest of students, JUTA demands an immediate review and withdrawal of this notification and reaffirms that every student should be allowed to take part in the WBJEE decentralised counselling 2026.

Students planning to apply for the WBJEE decentralised counselling 2026 process can visit the official website at wbjeeb.nic.in to download the information brochure.