Konwar, Shahi and Singh

Chancellor Devanand Konwar on Wednesday gave Patna University (PU) the permission to conduct exam for admission to its undergraduate courses, reversing the order of the state government on Tuesday cancelling the entrance test.

PU vice-chancellor Shambhu Nath Singh said: “The university has received a letter from the chancellor’s office giving permission for conducting the entrance test.” It talks about amendments in the existing ordinance for admission in the undergraduate courses, Singh said.

The VC said the letter received in the evening mentions that as the resolution for conducting the entrance examination was approved by the senate, syndicate and academic council of the varsity, it could go ahead with the test.

The state education department had scrapped the proposed entrance examination for admission to the colleges affiliated to Patna University this session on Tuesday, a day after submission of filled up forms drew to a close. State education minister P.K. Shahi had said the entrance examination for the session 2012 had been cancelled because the university did not consult the state education department for conducting the test. Shahi had said: “Under Section 38(III) of Patna University Act, 1976 it is clearly mentioned that the university should have consulted the state government for conducting the test.”

The university sources said a day after state government cancelled the Patna University’s decision to hold entrance test, the VC camped for more than three hours at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday seeking “written nod” from the chancellor for conducting the written test.

A senior official of the varsity said: “The chancellor has the power to make amendments in the admission ordinance according to the Patna University Act, 1976 because it does not have anything to do with any financial issue. According to the PU admission ordinance, students securing more than 45 per cent marks can be admitted to PU. But if the chancellor amends it to entrance test, the varsity will have the power to conduct the test.”

The state government, a senior varsity official said, cannot challenge the governor's order as the ordinance has been changed.

The education minister refused to comment on the issue citing that he was in New Delhi. Shahi said he would not comment till he went through the letter.

The chancellor’s approval for conducting the entrance examination brought to an end the anxiety of the students seeking admission to PU. Rohit Kumar, who has applied for admission to BN College, said: “The chancellor’s nod for conducting the written entrance had ended the confusion over the mode of admission. It will go a long way in improving the academic atmosphere of the university.”

Patna University will be the first varsity in the state to go for entrance test.