WBJEEB relaxes B.Tech counselling norms after student, teacher protests

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board has lifted restrictions on B.Tech counselling following objections from students and teachers. Candidates already admitted through centralised counselling can now participate in the Common Online Decentralised Counselling process and seek seat upgradation

Kolkata: Amid massive protests by students and teachers, the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB) on Sunday finally announced major relaxations in the counselling norms for admissions to B.Tech courses.

In a previous notification issued by WBJEEB, the Board barred students already admitted through the centralised counselling process from taking part in the decentralised counselling system.

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The WBJEEB clarified that those B.Tech aspirants who had not qualified through the centralised counselling process would only be allowed to take part in the decentralised counselling system based on the marks secured by them in the higher secondary (10+2) examinations.

The decision followed massive objections from both the teachers’ and students’ fraternities. They questioned the merit basis of such restrictions and argued that these would deny the already-admitted students the chances of upgradation.

Amid such opposition and criticisms, WBJEEB, on Sunday, issued a fresh notification lifting those restrictions.

In the fresh notification, it had been claimed that even candidates who have already been admitted through this year’s ‘Centralised Online Counselling’ process will also be able to participate in the ‘Common Online Decentralised Counselling’ process.

In the fresh notification, it has also been said that the revised ‘Online Decentralised Counselling’ complete notification will be published on the official website of the board soon.

“The revised schedule of counselling will also be published separately on the official website of the board,” read the notification.

An insider from the state higher education department said the main intention of the previous notification imposing the restriction was intended to prevent multiple claims to seats, unnecessary blocking of seats and seat migration by candidates who have already been admitted. “However, since both the students’ and teachers’ fraternity are against it, the restriction has now been lifted,” said a state higher education department official.