Kolkata: The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board (WBJEEB) has rolled back its decentralised counselling notification, allowing all rank-holders, including those who participated in the e-counselling process, to participate in the decentralised admission as well.A notice by the WBJEEB registrar read, “The undersigned is directed to inform all concerned that pursuant to requests received from various stakeholders, the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board, after due consideration of the matter, has decided to permit candidates who have already taken admission through the centralised online counselling process of WBJEE-2026 to participate in the common online decentralised counselling process.”Higher education minister, Jagannath Chattopadhyay, posted on social media: “Some apprehensions had arisen among students regarding the decentralised counselling. The present govt will not make any compromise on merit. At the same time, the govt favours maintaining control over the admission of those who are not on the merit list.” He added that the board would soon issue a detailed notification regarding the counselling process. “There is no reason for students to worry. This is the first time the Board is conducting decentralised counselling. Therefore, we request parents and students to refrain from panic. We believe that good academic institutions need good students, and the govt is on that very path.”This came after the WBJEEB released a detailed order for decentralised counselling, which educational institutes previously handled independently to fill vacant seats. The earlier notice had stated that candidates who participated in the three rounds of WBJEE centralised e-counsellings (including pharmacy), accepted a seat, and completed admission would not be eligible to participate in decentralised counselling. That sparked widespread controversy, prompting over 2,500 aspirants to sign a petition urging the board to rethink its decision.Several teachers, officials and parents also raised objections against the notice, calling it a violation of natural justice. Even Jadavpur University’s VC, Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, wrote to the state regarding the matter. Speaking to TOI, Bhattacharjee said: “I appreciate this step taken by the board and the govt. The earlier notice was highly objectionable and violated the principles of natural justice. Under that notice, lower-ranked candidates would have received better options, which would have been an injustice to merit.”A senior official from CU stated, “The notice should be revised. A lot of students would suffer as none was prepared for such changes.”All India Save Education Committee’s general secretary, Tarun Kanti Naskar, said that under pressure from teacher bodies, academicians, parents, and students, the Board has modified the notification to allow students who have already secured admission to take part in decentralised counselling. “It appears the Board is bent on helping private and self-financing colleges, thereby promoting the privatisation of education. We oppose this move by the Board,” he added.A parent of an aspiring student remarked: “Most students did not get their preferred choice during the three rounds of centralised counselling due to the board’s revised rules. Hence, they were forced to accept the allotted branch and institute to secure an admission so they could queue up for decentralised counselling. The decentralised counselling notice came as a shock. This revoking of the notice is welcome, and we look forward to fair and transparent counselling for all based on WBJEE ranks.”JUTA assistant secretary Arindam Sil said, “JUTA welcomes the decision. However, JUTA reiterates its demand that all eligible students should be allowed to sit for decentralised counselling keeping the course of natural justice intact.”Parents had earlier written to the higher education minister, higher education dept and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar, urging them to withdraw the notice.
