Uncertainty continues over the schedule of this year’s state Joint Entrance Examination in West Bengal, raising concerns among science stream students, teachers and parents. While Higher Secondary, ISC and CBSE Class XII board examinations have already begun, the Joint Entrance Board is yet to announce the exam dates.
In previous years, the examination was usually held in the third or fourth week of April. The notification would be published in December, followed by form fill-up in January. However, as the dates have not been finalised this year, the board has been unable to move ahead with key processes, including issuing advertisements, starting form submissions and preparing admit cards.
ALSO READ | IIT JAM 2026 exam responses released by IIT Bombay; direct link and steps to check
The delay has sparked anxiety, especially as Assembly elections are scheduled in the state this year. Teachers and heads of higher education institutions fear that if the exam dates are not fixed soon, multiple complications could arise. Many national-level competitive examinations have already been scheduled, and the state Joint Entrance cannot clash with those dates. There is also concern about possible unrest if students face difficulties due to poor planning.
Additionally, if the exam schedule is not announced before the election notification, the test could be pushed back significantly. Such a delay would likely disrupt the admission process for degree courses in state colleges and universities. While the state Higher Secondary exams will conclude on February 27, ISC and CBSE Class XII examinations will continue until the first week of April. Traditionally, Joint Entrance form fill-up has never been conducted during ongoing board examinations.
Officials at Bikash Bhavan say there has been no chairman at the Joint Board for the past one and a half months. As a result, work is getting hampered. However, no board officer wanted to speak to the media about this. And if dates are announced later, there could be conflicts with other examinations. Jadavpur University engineering professor Parthapratim Biswas says, "Keeping all this in mind, the state Joint Board should have announced the advertisement, form filling, and examination dates much earlier. By not doing so, all areas of higher education will now be affected. Students will suffer the most."
Taranjit Singh, president of APAI, an organisation of over a hundred private colleges and universities, regrets, "There is doubt about whether the state joint entrance will be held before the elections. We will soon request time by appealing in meetings with the board and the education minister about this matter. If everything happens so late, it will be very difficult for engineering institutions to get students."
