More than 1,100 undergraduate seats in agricultural courses remain vacant in Tamil Nadu after the completion of the initial rounds of admission counselling, according to the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU).

The university has announced that a fresh round of counselling will be held from August 24 to 27 to fill the remaining seats. Students who are eligible for the vacant seats have been sent invitations and are required to attend counselling on the date allotted to them. Candidates must also carry all the necessary certificates and supporting documents for verification.

The admission process for the current academic year began after TNAU published the rank list for agricultural programmes at its Coimbatore campus on July 3. Online counselling for undergraduate programmes offered by TNAU and its affiliated colleges began on July 9.

A separate admission process was also conducted for students who studied in government schools and applied under the 7.5 per cent preferential reservation. Certificate verification for these candidates was conducted on July 20, after which admission orders were issued to eligible students.

Under the 7.5 per cent quota, 424 seats have been earmarked for government school students. So far, 202 seats have been filled, leaving 222 seats vacant. These remaining seats are expected to be considered during the upcoming counselling round.

Overall, 5,236 seats were available for undergraduate agricultural courses this academic year. The general counselling process resulted in the allotment of 4,124 seats, leaving 1,112 seats unfilled after the initial rounds.

TNAU has scheduled the additional counselling round with the aim of filling as many of the vacant seats as possible before the admission process ends.

Candidates invited for counselling have been advised to carefully check the date, time and venue mentioned in their communication. They must carry the required academic, community, nativity and other relevant certificates to establish their eligibility.

Admission will depend on successful document verification and the availability of seats in the candidate's preferred course and institution. TNAU has also urged eligible students to attend counselling without fail, as absence on the allotted date could affect their chances of securing admission.

This report is based on inputs from IANS, with additional reporting and background by the EdexLive Desk.