Colleges may not have a roomful of students this academic session, thanks to the revised schedule for the joint entrance examination (JEE) 2008.

The test, deferred following the question paper leak, will now be held on May 24. The results will be declared on or after June 15, to be followed by counselling of successful students.

The admission season in the colleges start in the first week of June.

The authorities of most colleges feel that students who will sit for the JEE will not wait for the results before enrolling for undergraduate courses.

But after the results are out, the successful candidates will switch streams and join medical or engineering institutes. As a result, the authorities fear, a large number of seats in physics, chemistry, mathematics, botany, zoology and physiology, and also in emerging subjects like computer science and molecular biology will remain vacant.

“The postponement of the JEE will pose a serious problem for us,” said D. Kundu, the bursar of Scottish Church College. Admission of students is likely to start in the first week of June.

Debabrata Chaudhury, the principal of Ashutosh College, said: “Every seat in microbiology, physics, chemistry and mathematics is important. We will take steps to ensure they do not remain vacant.”

The college will issue a notice asking first-year students to join classes within a fortnight of taking admission.

Calcutta University, too, is concerned. “The colleges have been asked to prepare long waiting lists,” said pro vice-chancellor (academic) Suranjan Das.