Ranchi, Sept. 1: There is hope at hand for about 8,000 students who took the Jharkhand combined entrance tests (main) for entry into seven engineering colleges of the state.

For, the Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (JCECEB) has set a September 8 deadline to respond to students who wish to appear for counselling expected to take place in the third week of September.

For the first time, 49 seats of the prestigious BIT, Sindri, have fallen vacant after the first round of counselling that ended on August 19.

“We will conduct the second round of counselling from September 20. All the students who took the mains test of JCECEB will be allowed to appear for counselling,” said R.K. Singh, the officer on special duty at JCECEB.

Students who took the JCECEB main test can apply directly to the board office in Dhurwa or apply online to jceceb@rediffmail.com by September 8. A photocopy of the JCECEB admit card mains test along with basic information of the candidate would be required during submission along with the applications.

The students, who have already secured a seat in BIT, Sindri, Cambridge Institute of Technology and RVS College of Engineering and Technology during the first round of counselling would also be allowed to appear in the second round.