The admission process for undergraduate courses at Patna University colleges started on Monday.

From this year, the university will accept only online applications.

Students after downloading the application forms from the varsity website www.patnauniversity.ac.in can apply for their desired courses and colleges.

There will be a common entrance test for various courses at different colleges under PU, which will be known as the Patna University Common Entrance Test (Pucet). It will be an offline test.

From this year, the university will accept online applications for vocational (self-financed) and even postgraduate courses. The online process for postgraduate courses will start soon.

Patna University dean, students' welfare, Dolly Sinha said: "The online application process will commence by Monday evening and will continue till May 2. A student can apply on the university website. There is no restriction on the number of colleges or courses a student can opt."

A student has to bear the entrance test fees for all the colleges he or she is applying for. The Pucet fee is Rs 300.

A Patna University official said: "Suppose a girl desires to study arts and applies at Magadh Mahila College, Patna College and BN College, she has to pay Rs 900 as entrance test fees for the three colleges." However, the girl will have to sit for a single entrance test. For arts, the entrance test is on May 13.

The entrance test will commence from the second week of May. There is separate entrance test dates for arts, science, commerce, BEd, MEd and other vocational courses.

Students have welcomed the online admission process.

Kumar Ankit, an Intermediate student from AN College, said: "The biggest advantage of online application process is that students don't have to come down to the college to purchase forms and submit them. A student has to visit a college only for taking the entrance test and the second time for taking admission."

This year, a controversy has erupted over Pucet.

The Patna Women's College has decided to keep away from the Pucet process. The Patna Women's College started the process of seeking online application form from March 30. However, Dolly Sinha said: "The varsity has not received any letter from the Patna Women's College stating they will conduct their separate entrance test."

An official at Patna Women's College, however, said: "The college has informed the university vice-chancellor of its decision to organise separate entrance test."

Earlier, the admission to all courses was done based on marks scored by candidates in Intermediate and Class XII examinations. It was in 2012 when the varsity introduced the entrance test for undergraduate courses.