Kolkata UG portal will help if you pick subjects 'on impulse'; step-by-step course selection aims to reduce errors

KOLKATA: Undergraduate applicants using the Centralised Admission Portal (CAP) for the 2025 admission cycle will have to follow a phased approach to course selection - a shift from the previous year's system.

According to a recent directive from the state higher education department, candidates can apply for up to 25 course combinations across var-ious colleges and universities in the state. However, instead of viewing all options at once, applicants will initially be allowed to lock in only 10 course preferences.

The remaining 15 choices will be revealed one at a time through a pop-up interface. After confirming each selection by clicking the "Yes" button, the next option will appear.

This step-by-step process is designed to encourage more thoughtful decision-making and reduce impulsive selections.An analysis of the 2024 UG admission data revealed that most students typically applied for 10 to 15 course combinations.A department official said: "Students will get sufficient opportunities to apply for multiple courses. However, too many choices become confusing for many students when selecting the right option.

Therefore, this change has been made this time." 'UG portal now more user-friendly' A department official said: "The decision has been made to help students take more thoughtful decision. The main objective is to minimise the number of errors that we experienced last time."The data that the higher education department received last year revealed that the majority of students opted for 10-15 choices out of the maximum limit of 25 courses. They also observed that while selecting courses, several students made multiple mistakes in selecting both courses and institutions. Department officials felt that the chance of errors could be minimised by following this procedure because every pop-up box would remind students to lock their choices carefully.College principals said the portal has brought down their workload and is more user-friendly for students. New Alipore College principal Jaydeep Sarangi said, "Last year, several students suffered due to making mistakes. If such options are available, then students will be extra cautious while applying."