Students question admission process at Pune agri college

round 270 students were present for the admission process. A conversion round was conducted to fill 124 seats

Confusion prevailed during the postgraduate admission process at the College of Agriculture, Pune, under Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri, on Tuesday over 124 vacant seats, with students alleging that candidates who had not appeared in the previous round were allowed in the conversion round.

As per the procedure, candidates from reserved categories were initially considered. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC)

Around 270 students were present for the admission process. A conversion round was conducted to fill 124 seats. As per the procedure, candidates from reserved categories were initially considered. Seats for which eligible candidates were unavailable were then converted to other categories and allotted on merit.

Some students demanded that the rounds conducted on Monday and Tuesday be cancelled and the process be conducted afresh. They also approached the director of education seeking intervention.

“After category-wise allotment on the first day, the remaining seats should have been allotted purely on merit,” said a student.

“The 270 students who were present on Tuesday were considered while preparing the merit list,” said Kishor Shinde, director, agricultural education, adding that the admission process was conducted transparently.

NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar alleged that a student who had not even appeared for the CET examination was granted admission to the MSc Agriculture programme at the Pune Agricultural College.

“The agriculture minister should immediately intervene, direct the administration to ensure a transparent process and take strict action against those responsible,” he said.