Student bodies at Presidency University demand entrance tests, threaten to intensify stir 

On May 8, student bodies in Presidency University of Kolkata threatened to launch a stir if their demand for conducting separate entrance exams in both Arts and Science for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses were 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, as per a report in PTI.

A deputation to the authorities in this regard was also submitted by the opposition students' body Independent Consolidation (IC).

An IC spokesperson said that discontinuation of entrance exams may compromise the academic brilliance of the institution.

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

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination Board used to conduct entrance examinations for UG and PG courses at Presidency University and evening five-year Engineering courses at Jadavpur University.

Nevertheless, in August last year, the board declared that it will no longer be conducting entrance tests for individual institutes and as a result, admissions to UG courses will be entirely based on Class XII Board examination results.

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