JU suspends Science and Arts admissions amid SC OBC reservation case; Awaits State guidance

Jadavpur University has suspended the admission process for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in its Science and Arts departments for the current academic session. The decision was taken due to ongoing legal uncertainty related to the implementation of OBC reservation, a matter currently pending before the Supreme Court. The university administration has decided to halt all admission procedures until further notice.

In the last few days, the university sought official guidelines regarding OBC reservation from the West Bengal Backward Classes Welfare Department and the Higher Education Department. Both departments responded by requesting the university’s opinion on the matter, rather than providing clear directives. Following this, the university’s admission committee for the Science and Arts departments met on Monday and resolved to suspend the admission process until additional instructions are received.

The teachers’ association at the university, JUTA, expressed concerns over the delay. Parthapratim Roy, the general secretary of JUTA, stated that the state government frequently issues directives to higher education institutions but remains silent when clarification on OBC reservation is requested. He alleged that this results in delays in government institution admissions, indirectly benefiting private colleges.

This is not the first time legal ambiguity over OBC reservation has impacted admissions at Jadavpur University. Last year, the admission process was affected similarly, leading the university to admit students based on affidavits. Meanwhile, the University of Calcutta has also requested guidance from the state government on the OBC reservation issue but has included OBC reservation in its M.Tech course admission notification.

University officials confirmed they are currently awaiting a response from the state government before resuming any admission activities. The ongoing delay has created uncertainty for prospective students, as the university maintains a wait-and-see approach pending official government instructions.