WBJEE Counselling Changes Cause Record Seat Vacancies

West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations (WBJEE) counselling changes have led to a significant increase in vacant engineering seats at Jadavpur University (JU) and Calcutta University (CU). JU has 378 unfilled seats out of 1,190, a sharp rise from its usual 150-180 vacancies. Calcutta University reports 168 vacancies from 478 seats, compared to its typical 20-30.

Record Vacancies Linked to Counselling Changes

University officials attribute the high number of vacant seats to new WBJEEB counselling rules. The revised process allowed new candidate registrations in each counselling round. This kept students who booked seats but did not complete physical verification or payment active in all subsequent rounds. These students blocked opportunities for higher-ranked candidates to secure better choices.

Flawed Registration Process Impacted Admissions

The WBJEE Board altered its rules to permit new registrations during each centralized counselling session. In the first round, over 185 candidates reserved seats. They failed to complete physical verification or make payments. These seats remained reserved throughout further rounds without being withdrawn or reallocated.

Difficulties with Course Upgrades

Students who received initial seat allotments faced challenges when trying to upgrade their courses. They were required to withdraw from their current allotment first. Then, they had to reapply for new preferences. This process carried inherent risks, deterring many.

Academic Delays Pushed Students to NITs

Uncertainty surrounding the counselling timetable and the start of the academic session prompted many high-ranking students to opt for National Institutes of Technology (NITs) and other central institutions. These institutes often begin their academic sessions earlier, typically by late August. Clearer timelines for West Bengal institutions could have retained these students.

Core Engineering Departments Affected

The vacancies heavily impacted JU's core engineering departments. More than 20 seats remain unfilled in Computer Science. The Electrical Engineering department has nearly 50 vacant positions. These figures represent a substantial loss of potential talent for these critical fields.

Seat Vacancy Data