UG admission norm rollback gives students a ‘second’ chance in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: In a rollback of norms, the Higher Education department on Saturday allowed students who have already taken admission to degree colleges in the first phase of undergraduate (UG) counselling to take part in the second phase too.

Announcing this, Higher Education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the decision was taken in greater interest of the students.

For the current academic year, the department had mandated that under Students Academic Management System (SAMS), those already admitted to degree colleges as per their choice in the first phase of admission cannot take part in the second phase of admission.

Second phase was meant for only the students who did not apply for admission, did not take admission to any colleges or those who had appeared in the Plus II supplementary examination.

The department, however, made changes in the Plus II admission guidelines on Friday following demands by students who claimed many entered the wrong college options in the common application form (CAF) due to lack of knowledge about admission guidelines and its ‘freeze and slide’ option.

“Even if a student has taken admission in the first phase, he or she will be given chance to take part in the second. This change has been made keeping students’ interest in mind. The SAMS website has been reopened for necessary action,” the minister said. The admission guidelines formulated for this academic season will be strictly followed from the next academic year, he added.