West Bengal: Presidency University students' bodies demand entrance tests, threaten stir

KOLKATA: Students' bodies in Presidency University have threatened to launch a stir if their demand for holding the institute's separate entrance exams in both arts and science streams for admission to undergraduate and post-graduate courses was not met. CPI(M)-affiliated Students' Federation of India (SFI), which governs the students' council, said in a statement that it had submitted a memorandum in this regard to the university authorities on April 26.

"We approached the university authorities again on Saturday but did not receive any satisfactory reply. We will be forced to launch an intense agitation if any positive step is not taken soon," SFI Presidency University unit spokesperson Debnil Paul said.

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Opposition students' body Independent Consolidation (IC) also submitted a deputation to the authorities in this regard. An IC spokesperson said discontinuation of entrance exams may compromise with the academic excellence of the premier institution.

A university official said there was no immediate plan to conduct entrance tests, and they were ready to hold talks with the agitating students on the matter.

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board used to conduct entrance tests for UG and PG courses at Presidency University and evening five-year engineering courses at Jadavpur University. However, in August last year, the board announced that it will no longer conduct entrance tests for individual institutes, and admissions to UG courses will be based on class 12 board examination results.

The board said that it would only conduct common WBJEE examinations for all students. SFI alleges that the move amounts to meddling into the academic affairs of the institution.