Kolkata: The West Bengal Joint Entrance Board and all colleges under the state's common admission portal started the admission process for the current academic year on Friday a couple of hours after the Supreme Court stayed a Calcutta High Court suo motu order asking WBJEE board to cancel its merit list with 17% OBC reservation and draw up a fresh list factoring in the pre-2010 formula of 7% OBC quota.
The WBJEE results were published at 2 pm, 117 days after the engineering entrance test was held on April 27, the longest in the past 25 years, but well within the AICTE's Sept 15 deadline to wrap up admissions.
At 4 pm, the merit list for undergraduate admission to 460 state-aided colleges through the centralised portal was also released. The portal had gone live on June 18 and received about 3.6 lakh applications. The merit list has three lakh eligible candidates. | Gold Rates Today in Kolkata | Silver Rates Today in KolkataThe West Bengal Medical Counselling Committee also came out with a provisional list of MBBS and BDS (dental) candidates, ending the uncertainly over the stalled counselling process. The first seat-allotment list is expected on Saturday along with a rescheduled admission date. As per NMC's schedule, academic session begins nationally on Sept 5.
Presidency University's UG entrance test results will be declared on Monday.
Even on Friday morning, it was not clear if the Supreme Court would intervene to resolve the legal imbroglio over OBC quota that had held up all UG admissions in the state. The SC had earlier lifted a Calcutta HC stay on Bengal govt's notification mandating 17% OBC quota for admissions and hirings. But on Aug 7, Justice Kausik Chanda of Calcutta HC, in a suo motu contempt proceedings, directed the WBJEE board to publish a fresh merit list of examinees with 7% OBC quota, forcing the state to move SC again. An SC bench of CJI Gavai heard the case on an urgent basis on Friday morning.
A CJI Gavai-led bench, which heard the case on Friday morning, told Bengal counsel Kapil Sibal that the SC had earlier removed the Calcutta HC stay on the 17% OBC list. Sibal told the SC that it was "astonishing" that despite the SC order, an HC bench had again impose a stay on the fresh OBC list. The apex court then stayed the Aug 7 order, senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee, who was in the courtroom, told TOI. The SC bench will hear the case again on Monday.
CM Mamata Banerjee, in her congratulatory message to JEE passouts, said, "Due to some legal complexities, we were compelled to wait for the publication of the results. I am sorry for this, but it was by no means intentional on our part. I never want anyone to suffer. I always wish well for everyone. We will also ensure that no one suffers any loss due to the delayed publication of the results.
"State education minister, Bratya Basu, said, "It was unexpected that after the SC order admissions would have to be stalled due to an HC order. However, better late than never. There was a clear intention to obstruct the process, but finally, after fighting a legal battle, the matter has been resolved.
"Commenting on the SC order, Debanjan Mandal, managing partner Fox & Mandal, which advised the state in this case, said: "Today's Supreme Court order has reaffirmed faith in the justice system. The road is now clear for the June 10 reservation policy to be implemented in admissions and recruitments in Bengal. This brings long-awaited clarity, protecting the interests of lakhs of students and aspirants.