Patna: The academic session of state universities is likely to be delayed this year owing to introduction of Online Facilitation System for Students (OFSS), which is a centralised admission process in universities leaving aside Patna University.

Under the OFSS, students have to apply for first-year undergraduate courses in 10 universitieson www.ofssbihar.in, which Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) conducts, between June 19 and June 28.

A senior official of Magadh University said: "The online application will be made till June 28, followed by which the BSEB will prepare the merit list of students for different subjects and universities. Then, based on the merit list, students have to submit certificates and documents in respective universities, where they have to take admission." All this is time-consuming and requires at least a month to complete. The academic session is unlikely to start before the middle of August."

The universities, which are going to admit students under OFSS are LN Mithila University (Darbhanga), Purnea University (Purnea), BN Mandal University (Madhepura), Veer Kuer Singh University (Ara), Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University (Muzaffarpur), Magadh University (Bodhgaya), Jai Prakash University (Chhapra), Munger University (Munger), Patliputra University (Patna) and Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University (Bhagalpur).

However, board chairman Anand Kishor said: "The academic session will not be delayed, as earlier too the academic session in universities commenced from July/August. We are expecting that with the online process, the admission process will be completed soon."

By June 21, around 23,000 students made online applications.

Meanwhile, the school examination board has issued instructions that students applying under the OFSS must read the guidelines before making the application.

The school examination board for students' interest has set up 2,800 Sahaj Vasudha Kendras from where students can make online applications.

Sahaj Vasudha Kendras are government service provider kiosks where Aadhaar and PAN cards are made and errors rectified, online billing of electricity and telephone bills carried out and offers other facilities.

The students are also directed to make online applications from cyber cafes and homes.